Jammu and KashmirThe shutdown in the border town of Poonch entered the second day on Wednesday against the twin terror attack in Rajouri that left six people dead and 11 others injured, while protests erupted across the Jammu region. Officials said security has been beefed up in the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri in view of the bandh. Shops and business establishments remained closed in the district as hundreds of people protested braving the bitter cold.
Raising anti-Pakistan slogans, the protesters burnt tires and demanded increased security in and around minority places in the districts of Jammu region. In Kathua, protesters gathered on the highway at Kalibari and blocked it, disrupting traffic for an hour.
Led by local BJP leaders, the protesters demanded action against Pakistan for fomenting unrest in Jammu and Kashmir and burnt an effigy of the neighboring country.
A BJP leader said, “We protested against the killing of minority community by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists and called for a surgical strike against the country to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure there.”
Kashmiri Pandit workers, demanding transfer away from the Valley after the selective killings, took out a candle march in Jammu to protest against the twin attacks in Rajouri.
We took out a candle march to protest against the killings. Hindus are not safe in JK. A protester said that the government should ensure the safety of the people. Yuva Rajput Sabha took out a candle march here to express heartfelt condolences to the families of those killed in the Rajouri terror attacks.
Hitting out at the BJP, a leader of the gathering said that in the past they always called for Jammu bandh during every murder but today they are silent.
“It has exposed the LG administration’s claim of ending terrorism in J&K, but the situation is like in 1990 when Kashmiri Pandits were driven out of the valley due to killings,” he said. Democratic Azad Party, Jammu University students, Trikutanagar trade union, VHP and Bajrang Dal also protested in Jammu.
Protests were also held at many places in Udhampur, Akhnoor, Katra, Reasi, Samba, Kishtwar and Doda districts. Lawyers also observed bandhs in Jammu and Rajouri to protest against the killings.