Inquiry officer seeks info about firing outside Army camp in Rajouri

Jammu, Feb 22 (PTI) An officer, holding a magisterial probe into a firing incident outside an Army camp in Rajouri, on Wednesday sought information from the public about the incident.

Kamal Kumar and Surinder Kumar, both residents of Phalyana, were killed and another man from Uttarakhand was injured in the incident near the Alpha gate of the camp on December 16.

While the Army said the two civilians were killed in the firing by terrorists, the incident sparked protests by the villagers prompting the district administration to order a magisterial probe into the incident.

In a public notice issued on Wednesday, Additional District Magistrate, Rajouri, Sachin Dev Singh who has been appointed as inquiry officer to ascertain the cause of firing, sought information from the public about the incident within a week’s time.

“The public at large of village Phalyana, media persons or any other persons who has knowledge and wishes to share inputs regarding the incident in writing/oral or any other input may share the same within a week’s time enabling the enquiry officer to conclude the enquiry,” reads the public notice.

“The inputs can also be shared telephonically or through whatsApp on Mob. No. 9596510500,” the notice said.

Over a fortnight after the firing outside the camp, terrorists struck Dhangri village of Rajouri town on the first day of January, killing seven civilians and injuring 14 others.

While five people were killed in the terrorist firing in the village, two children were killed when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), left behind by the attackers, went off the next day.

The terrorists are still at large despite a search operation jointly launched by police and other security forces in the district.