By Nasir Khuehami
Bandipora: Ajas area of Bandipora remained shut on Friday to mark the 27th death anniversary of five civilians allegedly killed in the firing of Border Security Forces.
All shops and other business establishments remained closed in the area, while as very thin traffic was plying on roads.
According to locals, five civilians were killed on that ‘fatefull day’ including Abdul Rasheed Ganie (Driver), Mohammad Maqbool Rather (Student), Abdul Rahim Rather and Mohammad Sultan Lone ( Labourers) and wali Rehman khan (Employee).
“Even after the 27 years, justice still eludes the families of victims who claimed that not a single BSF man was taken to task by the authorities,” they said.
Narrating the day Ajas residents said that it was ‘Meharaje Alam’ when BSF troopers came and announced crackdown in the area on loudspeakers and asked people of the area to assemble in a local ground.
“However local people refused to assemble in the ground and instead carried out a peaceful march and foiled their crackdown attempt and BSF troopers left the area. They then returned back and fired indiscriminately killing five civilians and injured dozens,” they added.
“People paid rich tributes to the martyrs and said that their sacrifices will always be remembered,” a family member of one of the vicitms said.