Atop a hill in Ajote village overlooking Poonch town, memories of the 14 civilians killed in Pakistani shelling following ‘Operation Sindoor’ have been preserved in the form of a memorial built by the Army.
Nearly 90 km away in Rajouri town, which also witnessed heavy shelling on May 10 last year, the residence of Dr Raj Kumar Thapa, the then Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), who died while performing his duty, was converted into a museum last month.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha dedicated the memorial, museum and library in Rajouri in honour of Dr Thapa.
Thapa had been coordinating relief efforts among various agencies during the shelling in Rajouri. After overseeing relief work in the early hours of May 10, he returned home, where a shell exploded within the premises, grievously injuring him.
An official of the Rajouri administration said the damage caused to the house and Dr Thapa’s car by shell splinters had been preserved so that people do not forget his sacrifice.
“There are over 50 splinter scars on the quarters and the car of Dr Thapa, who was inside the house when the incident took place,” the official said.
Meanwhile, several families of the 14 civilians killed in the shelling visited the memorial at Ajote on May 7.
The civilian memorial at the Ajote war memorial site was inaugurated on July 28 last year. The military memorial also commemorates soldiers who fought valiantly in different battles in Jammu and Kashmir.
Harjit Singh, brother of Amrik Singh, who was among those killed in the shelling, said the memorial was the victims’ lasting memory for future generations.
“At least the coming generations will be able to know who these 14 people were who were killed without any reason in Pakistani shelling. The memorial is a tribute by the Army to these victims,” Harjit said.
During a visit to the area, it was evident that for the people of Poonch, the memorial is more than just a structure; it is a reminder of the human cost of conflict.
The memorial stands as a symbol of resilience, ensuring that the deaths of the 14 civilians are never forgotten.
