Saif Ali
A woman named Fatima Begum who is the wife of Ghulam Rasool Rather, a local resident of Wolina area in Budgam was hit by a bullet, after which she had to be shifted to the hospital for treatment, it was not the first incident of its type and it surely cannot be last, if the residential area continues to be used as a Firing range.
The Firing range of the Indian Air foce at the Sheikh ul Alam International airport Srinagar is located very opposite to the village.
Speaking to The Kashmiriyat the locals said that they have approached the administration and undertaken every legal procedure to stop the area from being used as a firing range. “But every time from Deputy commissioner Budgam to every other office we have received only lame promises, and excuses from all the seating authorities,” a local resident said.
Many in the village wouldn’t take it serious as bullets would hit on the higher areas only. But after this incident today at late morning hours of December 2020 . Everyone, from children to old are feeling teriffied and rushed to the streets to demand justice and action on the matter.
“The firing range poses a risk to our lives and property. Many people including women have developed various heart ailments due to heavy noise of the bullets,” a local resident told The Kashmiriyat.
The Locals say that the fear of being hit by a bullet is growing among the locals, ‘ You never know which bullet will pierce your wall or window and hit you and nobody knows where the bullet will hit you.’
The Friday’s in which 60-year-old Fatima was injured evoked anger and anguish as people hit the streets in protest demanding the relocation of the Fring range of IAF. The Local inspector of Jammu Kashmir Police station in Budgam reached the spot and left after promising help to the local residents.
A Local resident said, “Not only the locals of Wolina but the residents too area concerned about the well being of their property and loved ones.”
“We can offer donations to the IAF to construct a concrete bullet proof wall around the firing range, So that the lives of the people around will be safe and secure. Isn’t it a shame for Air Force of India that their hundreds of masses are exposed to the bullets, daily and continuously?” he asked.
The locals appealed the Governor administration to remove the Firing range from the area.
The Jammu Kashmir Police said that Police Station Budgam received a report that due to some aerial firing few tin roofs in village Vollina have suffered damage and a woman was injured.
An official said that after receiving this information, a police party led by Station House Officer (SHO) Budgam reached the spot and the injured was shifted to hospital for treatment. “On enquiry, it was found that stray bullets fired from firing range of air force had hit the roofs and wounded the woman,” he added.
In 2014, the Indian Army vacated the Tosa Maidan firing range spread over 11,200.477 hectares in Budgam district and since then it has been asking the J&K Government to allot an alternative place for the field firing range.
The Army said there was a requirement for a field firing range in the Kashmir region.
The increasing damage in this Budgam area and the vulnerability of locals like on Friday has left the residents in distress and anguish, so the locals are up in arms to demand the removal of the firing range in this residential area.