Villagers threaten to go on hunger strike if militants not neutralised in 15 days

Residents of Dhangri in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district on Sunday expressed concern over the “failure” of security agencies in tracing the militants behind the twin attacks in the village and demanded justice for the victims.

The villagers threatened to go on a hunger strike if the security agencies are unable to eliminate the militants within the next 15 days.

Seven people were killed and 14 injured as militants attacked Dhangri on January 1.

While five people, including two brothers, were killed in the firing by militants, two children died when an improvised explosive device (IED) left behind by the attackers went off the next day.

Hundreds of residents of Dhangri held a meeting at the attack site and paid floral tributes to the victims on Sunday, a villager said.

They expressed concern over the “failure” of security agencies in finding clues about the militants involved in the twin attacks, he said.

Victims’ family members demanded that efforts to identify the attackers be intensified.

The villagers threatened to launch a hunger strike if the security agencies are unable to neutralise the militants in the next 15 days.