The residents of Sangiote village in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district will not celebrate Eid on Saturday. The reason behind this is the deadly terror attack that occurred on Thursday, where five soldiers lost their lives. The ill-fated Army truck was on its way to the village, carrying fruits and other items for an iftar gathering that was meant to be held in Sangiote later that evening. The invitations had already gone out to several people in the village of 4,000, and the arrangements were being taken care of by the Rashtriya Rifles unit.
The truck was carrying materials from the RR headquarters at Basooni in Balakote and had picked up more items en route from the Bhimber Gali area, where the RR has a significant presence due to the movement of Army convoys between Poonch and Rajouri. However, when the loaded vehicle crossed Tota Gali, and was just 7-8 km short of its destination, unidentified terrorists who had already laid an ambush attacked it from multiple sides.
The attack left the charred bodies of five soldiers, and a sixth in critical condition. The fruits and edibles meant for the iftar gathering were also damaged and strewn around. When the Army troops and villagers from nearby Bhatta Durian reached the spot soon after the attack, they were devastated by what they saw.
Mukhtiaz Khan, the Sarpanch of the Sangiote panchayat, was among those invited for the iftar. However, he said that "what iftar fast when five of our soldiers were martyred in that unfortunate incident." He also said that "as soon as we got information about the terror attack from social media groups, a pall of gloom descended on the village." The police and Army had cordoned off the area by then, preventing the villagers from going to the spot.
The residents of Sangiote have decided to offer namaz and not celebrate Eid on Saturday, as a mark of respect for the deceased soldiers. They have stated that their thoughts are with the families of the deceased, who were part of the RR unit deployed in their village.
The terror attack has once again highlighted the fragile situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The residents of Sangiote and other nearby villages are living in constant fear of such attacks, and the security forces are struggling to maintain peace in the region. The attack has also raised questions about the effectiveness of the security measures in place and the need for a more comprehensive approach to tackle the issue of terrorism in the region.
In conclusion, the terror attack on the Army truck carrying items for an iftar gathering in Sangiote has left the villagers in mourning, and they have decided not to celebrate Eid. The incident has once again highlighted the fragile situation in Jammu and Kashmir and raised questions about the effectiveness of the security measures in place. The need of the hour is a more comprehensive approach to tackle the issue of terrorism in the region and ensure the safety and security of the residents.
