Reaching out to the victims of shelling by Pakistani troops, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today attended the cremation of those killed in Arnia border belt of Jammu district.
After offering Eid prayers in Srinagar, Omar flew to Jammu and rushed to Arnia border belt to be with families of the victims of the shelling.
Accompanied by state minister Ajay Sadhotra, state BJP chief and MP Jugal Kishore Sharma and MLA Ashwani Kumar, besides top officials of the region, Omar spent some time with the family members of those killed in Arnia.
He expressed condolences and assured them full support on the behalf of the government by paying ex-gratia relief and providing job to the next of the kin of the deceased.
A pall of gloom descended on Arnia as the bodies of the five persons killed in the shelling was being taken for cremation. An atmosphere of sadness and anger prevailed in the area.
People demanded their evacuation and setting up of shelter camps saying they would not be able to live in the houses whose rooftops have been damaged by intense shelling.
The Chief Minister promised them all help.
Some people wanted the state and central governments to give a befitting reply to Pakistan so that it does not again dare to shell villages and civilian areas leading to casualty.
