Basantgarh encounter: Slain village defence guard laid to rest at native village
The deceased was survived by his wife Fatima Begum and five minor daughters. He was the sole bread-earner for his family
Amid a pall of gloom, the mortal remains of the Village Defence Guard (VDG) Mohammad Sharief, who lost his life during an encounter with terrorists, was laid to rest on Monday amid rains in his native village Lower Ponar in Basantgarh area of Udhampur district.
The deceased was survived by his wife Fatima Begum and five minor daughters. He was the sole bread-earner for his family.
Despite heavy rains, hundreds of locals from the village and surrounding areas, including VDG members, attended Sharief’s burial at his ancestral graveyard.
His wife Fatima has urged the lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha to provide adequate compensation to her for the proper rehabilitation of her five minor daughters.
“I am proud of my husband for his supreme sacrifice for the country but I am deeply saddened by his loss as well. Now, who will take care of my five minor daughters,” she told media persons.
“On the fateful day, I was cooking breakfast when my husband came to me and informed me that he has to leave for an operation with policemen,” recalled Fatima.
Nasima Bano, a relative of the deceased, said, “the government should now take care of the poor family. Sharief died for the country while combating terrorists. Now, we request the LG to come forward and help this family.”
The deceased had suffered around four to six gun shots.
On Sunday evening, the additional director general of police Anand Jain and other senior officers paid floral tributes to the deceased at Basantgarh police station.
A massive search operation by police, army and paramilitary forces is underway in the dense forests to track-down the absconding terrorists.
