STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Security has been beefed up across Jammu as various parties, including Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), have called for a general strike and protests on Wednesday to condemn a deadly terror attack on tourists in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam tourist resort.
Terrorists opened fire at a famed meadow near Pahalgam town on Tuesday afternoon, killing at least 26 people, mostly tourists, in the deadliest attack in the valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019.
The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Congress, Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jammu Bar Association, Vishva Hindu Parishad and Rashtriya Bajrang Dal have separately called for a day-long ‘Jammu bandh’ on Wednesday as a mark of protest against the innocent killings in the gruesome attack.
They have also announced separate protests to denounce the Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
Officials said a high-level security meeting, jointly chaired by Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar and Inspector General of Police, Jammu, Bhim Sen Tuti, was held at the Police Control Room here late this evening to chalk out a strategy to deal with the situation.
The meeting reviewed the situation and decided to further strengthen the security grid to maintain peace and law order, the officials said.
They said additional police and paramilitary forces have already been deployed in sensitive areas across Jammu as a precautionary measure.
Appealing to people of Jammu to observe a complete strike on Wednesday, PCC chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said the killing of innocents by terrorists is not acceptable.
“A complete bandh will be observed to send a strong message that terrorism on our soil is not tolerable. The bandh is also to express solidarity with the families of the victims,” he said.
The Shiv Sena (UBT), VHP, the Dogra Front and the Rashtriya Bajrang Dal, besides the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, lawyers and various market associations have also called for protests in the city on Wednesday.
The Traders Federation Ware House Nehru Market(Regd.) Jammu in its meeting under leadership of Deepak Gupta, President supported the Jammu Bandh Call for Wednesday given by Hindu Organisations. The other office bearers present in the meeting include Dheeraj Mahajan, Sr. Vc. President, Vishal Gupta, Vc. President, Abhimanyu Gupta, General Secretary, Rahul Gupta, Secretary and Nitish Gupta,Cashier of the Federation.
Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress committee has given a call for Jammu Bandh in protest against the gruesome and cowardly terrorist attack on tourists in Pehalgam leading to huge loss of lives.
In a statement on behalf of party , JKPCC Chief Spokesperson Ravinder Sharma has appealed to the people to observe a complete peaceful Jammu Bandh tomorrow to send a strong and united message against terrorism. The killing of innocents and the terrorism on our soil is not tolerable. To send a strong message and to express solidarity with the victims of attack and their families , a complete bandh should be observed he appealed to the people.
In light of this attack, the VHP J&K Ladakh calls for a complete shutdown of Jammu on Wednesday to protest against the government’s failure to ensure tourist safety. We are pleased to announce that various trade and social organizations have confirmed their support for the bandh, including the Jammu Chamber of Commerce, Jammu Traders Federation, and several prominent social and cultural organizations.
We urge all citizens to support this bandh and join us in our demand for justice. The success of this bandh will send a strong message to the government that the people of Jammu will not tolerate such acts of terrorism and demand immediate action to ensure their safety and security.
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