Resembled those behind Dhangri attack | Tip-off given by village panch

Two armed persons, resembling the perpetrators behind the killing of seven civilians in Rajouri over two weeks ago, were seen in Narla Bambal village of the district on Saturday evening. Senior police and Army officers reached the village after receiving information from a villager on Sunday morning. A thorough search operation was taken up in and around the area, particularly the nearby forests. A senior police official, when contacted, didn’t comment on the matter.

The suspects, who were communicating in Punjabi language, entered the house of a panch (village leader), Abdul Qayoom (59), at around 6.30 pm on Saturday. They demanded food and water. Qayoom, his wife, daughter, two daughters-in-law and a local moulvi were present in the house. His sons were not there.

Houses are scattered in the village which is in a remote area, so no other person saw them. The area is close to Reasi district. “My wife was making dinner when they entered as the door was not locked. They demanded food. They had lentil and eight chapatis each,” Qayoom told The Tribune. He said the two sat on two beds and one of them took a blanket over him.

Before leaving, they got a water bottle and some food packed in a box. They also gave Rs 1,500 to the family, asking not to inform security forces about them while threatening that it would lead the family into trouble. “They said they were mujahids and would reach far away in sometime,” Qayoom said.

As per Qayoom, both were wearing black jackets and olive trouser with multiple pockets. “Their black shoes resembled those of soldiers. The language they spoke was a mixture of Punjabi and Dogri,” he said. Similar language is spoken in Sialkot of Pakistan that borders Jammu.

This is the clearest description of the two terrorists provided by anyone after the attack in Dhangri village of Rajouri district. One of them is tall while the other one is short and they have been seen before and after the Dhangri attack many times. Even villagers in Dhangri, where the two terrorists killed seven persons on January 1 and 2, had given similar description of the perpetrators.

On December 14, a girl in Muradpur had seen two “militants” with similar physiques. She had raised the alarm after which a massive search operation was conducted by security men. The Rajouri police have received at least four reports of spotting of terrorists before and after Dhangri attack.

Threaten family after taking food

• Two armed men entered a panch’s house in Narla Bambal village and paid Rs 1,500 to the family after having food
• Claiming that they were ‘mujahids’, they threatened the family against informing security men about them

Terror suspects spotted four times

• Four incidents regarding spotting of terrorists have come to light before and after the recent attack at Dhangri
• One of the terrorists is tall and the other short. Even Dhangri villagers had given a similar description of the attackers

Security men, ultras exchange gunfire

• Security forces and terrorists exchanged gunfire in Budgam district on Sunday, the police said. No casualty was reported
• The incident took place after security men got inputs about terrorists in the Redbugh area & launched a search operation

Perpetrators will pay heavy price, says L-G sinha

• L-G Manoj Sinha, during his ‘Awaam Ki Awaaz’ radio programme, said the perpetrators of the Rajouri attack would have to pay a heavy price for their heinous crime
• Concrete measures are being taken to ensure families of martyrs live a life of dignity. The whole nation stands united in its fight against terror, he said

Courtesy: The Tribune India : 15th Jan , 2023