Brotherhood among Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs commendable: On Poonch visit, Omar meets families ravaged by shelling
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday visited Poonch, the district worst affected by Pakistani troops' cross-border shelling last week.
As many as 13 civilians, including children, were killed and around 40 were injured in the shelling in Poonch.
Abdullah visited the injured in the Poonch district hospital and enquired about their treatment. He also visited the Zia-ul-Uloom and Anwar-ul-Uloom religious institutions, where one teacher was killed and several students were injured.
Later, he met with the families who lost their loved ones in the shelling. 'Words fall short in the face of such grief. I offered my heartfelt condolences and assured them that they are not alone — the entire administration and I stand with them,' he said.
He also convened a meeting of local legislators and prominent citizens from all communities and acknowledged the grief and suffering caused by the cross-border shelling. 'The brotherhood among Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and others during this crisis is truly commendable. May the Almighty continue to bless this unity,' he said.
Lauding the efforts of the civil administration and the police, Abdullah said, 'This situation was not of our making. Our neighbouring country chose to target innocent civilians on our side of the border. This is both deeply saddening and unacceptable.'
He announced Rs 10 lakh for each of the families of those killed in the shelling. He said it was 'not a measure of the value of life, but a step to help them cope during this difficult time'.
On the expanding threat of cross-border shelling, the Chief Minister said that 'for the first time, even the old quarters of Jammu have been affected. We are now forced to contemplate building bunkers in the city — something previously unimaginable'.
He stressed the need for immediate reforms in preparedness, saying, 'We must learn from this experience and rectify our shortcomings. Strengthening hospital infrastructure is essential.'
Outlining future preparedness, he said, 'May we never face such a situation again, but if we do, we must be better prepared.'
'We plan to establish critical infrastructure, including fixed and mobile bunkers; reinforce ambulance services; and improve evacuation mechanisms in border areas through mock drills and practical assessments,' he said.
Meanwhile, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha paid tribute to BSF personnel Deepak Chingakham at a wreath-laying ceremony in Jammu.
'I salute the brave son of Mother India, BSF's Constable Deepak Chingakham, who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. We share the grief of family and stand in solidarity,' said Sinha in a post on X.
Later, the mortal remains of the BSF constable were sent to his native Manipur.
He was among eight BSF personnel, including Sub-Inspector Md Imtiyaz, who were injured in the cross-border firing along the International Border in the R S Pura sector of Jammu district on Friday. SI Imtiyaz, who led the BSF border outpost from the front, died the same day and his mortal remains were sent to his native village in Bihar on Saturday.
Constable Deepak Chingakham succumbed to his injuries on Saturday, officials said.
Rifleman Sunil Kumar of the Army, who also died in R S Pura, was cremated with full military honours in Samba district's Purmandal area on Saturday.
L-G Sinha also visited the family of Zakir Hussain, a resident of Kheri village, who was killed during firing by Pakistan. Offering his condolences, he assured the family of all assistance and support from the administration.
He also visited the shelter at Sahib Bandgi Ashram in Jammu and met families displaced due to the cross-border shelling.
Two days after India and Pakistan came to a ceasefire understanding, the Jammu airport was thrown open to air traffic on Sunday.
However, for now, officials said the airport will have just one flight coming from Delhi at around 7.45 pm. The same flight will return to Delhi at 8 pm, they said.
Barring five border districts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch, the administration has decided to reopen schools and colleges across other parts of Jammu province on Monday.
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