Fear psychosis in Kathua, Samba

Fear psychosis continues to haunt the people of both Kathua and Samba district even after 24-hours of fidayeen attacks in twin districts.

The people living in the villages near the International Border (IB), Hiranagar and Samba spent a sleepless night despite the fact that all three fidayeen were neutralised by security forces, last evening. The families of those killed in attack were in dilemma whereas their relatives continued to console them. A pall of gloom descended in Hiranagar as well as Army Camp in Samba where ten precious lives were lost in an unfortunate incident.

Situation was so shocking that a local gardener engaged by the army Colonel in 16 Cavalry unit Jhony, 23, son of Om Parkash of Katli kept himself locked in the bathroom of the unit till this noon. His family members panicked and fearing him dead they requested army to search for him. He came out of the bathroom today at noon.

The Village Defence Committees (VDCs) in the border villages have been kept on high alert while the BSF and army have readjusted their columns. The border police cops are also kept on high alert and additional nakas have been erected on almost all the routes linking Jammu-Pathankot National Highway.

Senior police officers of Kathua district have recommended action against Station House Officer (SHO) Police Station Hiranagar who was not present in the Police Station and for not deploying cops on guard duty despite the fact that Police Station is near the IB and continuous inputs of possible militant attack in Jammu region was pouring in from separate intelligence agencies.

Meanwhile, three fidayeen who remain unidentified were buried in Manohar Gopala village near Samba with Islamic rites. Army today said that a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including three AK-47 rifles and a grenade launcher with grenades, was recovered from the Army camp in Samba where militants had attacked yesterday killing four army men including an officer.

Source: Kashmir Times