Fear grips shelling victim’s family

Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Kamore Camp (Samba), Feb 21

The police have registered an FIR against unidentified persons for shouting ‘anti-national’ slogans during the cremation of ex-serviceman Suresh Kumar Choudhary, who died recently after being injured in Pakistan shelling at the Kamore camp in Samba’s Ramgarh sector.

The grieving family of the deceased is feeling terrorised by the registration of the FIR.

Suresh Kumar Choudhary of the Kamore camp in Samba’s Ramgarh sector and son Puneet had sustained serious injuries in Pakistan shelling on January 19. Suresh, 50, died on February 5 allegedly because of the non-availability of medical facilities.

“We were emotionally charged and used some harsh words against our elected representatives from the BJP. We were angry because we had to move from pillar to post for better medical facilities in Jammu at such crucial time,” recalled Puneet.

“For 14 days, we kept shuttling between hospitals for better treatment, but the authorities failed to act. Instead of helping us, the authorities are trying to terrorise us by registering an FIR with sedition charges,” said Puneet, a science graduate, claiming, “Those present at my father’s cremation had not raised any anti-national slogan.”

Narrating the incident, Puneet said his family had taken shelter in a safer place during the shelling, but some splinter of a mortal shell fired from across the border hit his father in the head. “Ambulance was not available at the Ramgarh hospital and it took us nearly four hours to shift our father to the GMC, Jammu. From there he was shifted to Military Hospital and later to a private facility,” he narrated, maintaining, “In the absence of better health facilities, we had to shift him to Punjab.”

Puneet’s mother is in deep shock and was not in a position to speak. His grandmother Banto Devi, however, minced no words in attacking the authorities for registering an FIR. “Everyone present at the cremation was angry with the government. People are getting killed in Pakistan shelling, but there has been no help from the authorities,” she said.

Meanwhile, there is a strong resentment among people in the border belt against the decision of the police to register an FIR in the case.

Paying the price for ‘outburst’

• Suresh Kumar Choudhary, an ex-serviceman from the Kamore camp in Samba’s Ramgarh sector, and son Punit had sustained serious injuries in Pakistan shelling on January 19
• Suresh, 50, died on February 5 allegedly because of the non-availability of medical facilities
• His son claimed that for 14 days, they kept shuttling between hospitals for better treatment, but the authorities failed to act. “Instead of helping us, the authorities are trying to terrorise us by registering an FIR with sedition charges,” he said