Jammu, March 31: Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Lieutenant-Governor (LG), Manoj Sinha on Monday visited the families of the four policemen who were killed in the recent anti-terrorist operation in Kathua district.
Officials said that LG Manoj Sinha visited the families of the four martyred policemen and expressed his condolences and support to the bereaved families. Two Pakistani terrorists and four policemen were killed, while three others, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police, were injured in a fierce gunfight in the forested area of the Sanyal belt of Kathua district in the jurisdiction of Rajbagh police station on Thursday.
Sinha visited the home of Balvinder Singh Chib in Kanna Chak, Kathua district, where he met the cop’s bereaved wife and other family members to express his deepest condolences.
The LG then visited the family of Jaswant Singh in Londi village near the International Border (IB) to offer support to the family of the slain policeman. Later, he proceeded to Reasi district, where he met the family of police officer, Tariq Ahmad in Chamba village. During the visits, he assured the families of government jobs for the next of kin, mostly for the widows of the martyred policemen.
The LG told the families that the people of the country were with them and all efforts would be made to ensure full government support. The wives of the martyred policemen requested jobs in civilian departments as they have young children to look after. Later in the evening, the LG visited the family of Head Constable, Jagbir Singh from the Akhnoor area in Jammu district to express condolences to the family.
Following information from the people, the police tracked a group of terrorists after intercepting them last Sunday within a plant nursery in Sanyal Village nearly four kms away from the IB with Pakistan. Tracking the terrorists led to an encounter in Sanyal village of the district resulting in the killing of two terrorists and four policemen on Thursday.
The body of Head Constable, Jagbir Singh, who was incharge of the local police post, was recovered from the Ghati-Juthana forest on Saturday. The bodies of two terrorists, believed to be affiliated with the proscribed Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit, were also recovered along with war-like stores.
The bodies of three policemen, Balwinder Singh Chib, Jaswant Singh, and Tariq Ahmad were recovered on Friday evening. The People’s Anti-Fascist Front, a shadow outfit of the Pakistan-based terror outfit JeM claimed responsibility for the gunfight. All the martyred policemen were given full tributes at the District Police Lines (DPL) in Kathua.
Later, speaking to reporters, DGP Nalin Prabhat said that the martyrdom of the four policemen had increased the resolve and aim of J&K Police to eliminate the scourge of terrorism in J&K and to defeat the designs of the impure neighbour (Pakistan), who is sending in mercenaries to disturb peace and tranquility in the UT. The DGP said that deeds not words would give a befitting tribute the nation owes to the martyred policemen.
IANS