Five suspected places excavated in Bhaderwah, no remains found

Doda, Feb 6 (UNI) Under tight security cover and presence of civil authorities and police officials, the relatives of 17 missing persons today excavated five suspected sites in Bhaderwah in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir but no skeletal remains were found.

SDM Bhadarwah P K Pole said he, along with the members of the Anjuman Islamia Bhadarwah, reached Tourism Hut, Dandi where it was suspected that bodies had been buried and dug.

''About five graves were excavated but no body or skeleton were found in the premises which provide a set back to anti-social elements who were indulging in false propaganda of graves in the hut,'' the SDM added.

According to the official sources, reports of 17 missing people are registered in Bhadarwah police station. The digging work of sites, suspected to have remains of the missing people, was completed in the presence of the SDM, ASP, doctors and the president of Anjuman Islamia Bhadarwah.

SDM Bhadarwah appealed to the people to maintain peace and cooperate with the administration without believing in ''rumours and false propaganda mooted by anti-social elements.'' Earlier, a large number of the people observed complete bandh in Bhaderwah demanding excavations in the security force camp, which troops have been occupying for the past 14 years.

On the call of Anjuman Islamia Jamia Masjid Bhadarwah, people came on to the streets demanding the digging at the army camp at tourist hut, Dandi, two km from Bhaderwah town.

UNI