Terrorists are cowards is a known fact but they are worse than demons when their terror is unleashed on innocent children.
In the serene town of Reasi, nestled amid the breathtaking vistas of Jammu & Kashmir, tragedy recently struck, leaving the community reeling with grief and disbelief. The loss of a two-year-old child, playfully called Titu (Lavansh) in a terror attack serves as a stark reminder of our collective failure to protect the most vulnerable among us. As we grapple with the aftermath of this senseless act of violence, we must confront the harsh reality that we have failed in our duty to safeguard the innocence and well-being of our children.
The innocence of childhood, symbolized by the tender age of the victim, was brutally shattered by the cruel hands of terrorism. The sight of the child’s lifeless body, wrapped in a cloth, serves as a haunting reminder of the fragility of life and the depths of human depravity. In the face of such tragedy, we are left with a profound sense of sorrow and remorse, grappling with the painful realization that we could not shield this innocent soul from harm.
As a society, we are tasked with the solemn responsibility of ensuring the safety and security of our children. Yet, in the case of the child in Reasi, we have failed miserably in fulfilling this sacred obligation. We have allowed the scourge of terrorism to persist, casting a dark shadow over the future of our youth and robbing them of their right to a peaceful and prosperous existence.
The tragic death of the two-year-old child serves as a wake-up call for us all. It is a stark reminder of the urgent need to confront the root causes of terrorism and extremism that continue to threaten our communities. We cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the radicalization and indoctrination of impressionable minds, nor can we tolerate the spread of hatred and intolerance in our midst.
The incident unfolded with chilling swiftness as a 53-seater bus, ferrying pilgrims from the revered Shiv Khori temple to Katra, found itself engulfed in a hail of gunfire near the Teryath village in the Poni area. The tranquility of the journey shattered, and the bus careened off the road, plunging into a deep gorge, claiming the lives of innocent people on the bus in its descent. Among the victims were four members of a grief-stricken family that Titu belonged to. The tragedy struck a particularly poignant chord with the loss of Jaipur-based cloth merchant Rajendra Saini, his wife Mamta, and their relative Pooja Saini, whose lives were cut short in a senseless act of violence.
The Reasi terror attack, orchestrated by the Pakistan-backed The Resistance Front (TRF), left a harrowing toll of nine lives lost and 33 others wounded, casting a dark shadow over the region’s tranquility. We must hold accountable those responsible for perpetrating such heinous acts of violence. The perpetrators of the terror attack in Reasi, along with the organizations that support and enable them, must be brought to justice and held accountable for their crimes. There can be no impunity for those who seek to sow fear and division through acts of terror.
Incidentally, the heartwrenching tragedy happened on the day Narendra Modi was taking an oath for the third time as the Prime Minister of India after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 292 seats in the Lok Sabha 2024 elections. The attack was a direct message to Modi that terrorism is not dead in J&K it was merely waiting for an opportunity to unleash hell.
As we mourn the loss of the innocent child in Reasi, let us also recommit ourselves to the cause of peace and justice. Let us honor his memory by redoubling our efforts to create a world where every child can grow up in safety and security, free from the fear of violence and oppression. Let us stand together in solidarity against the scourge of terrorism, united in our determination to build a brighter and more hopeful future for generations to come.
In the end, we owe it to the memory of the little child in Reasi to do better – to be better. We cannot change the past, but we can shape the future. Let us make sure that his tragic death was not in vain, but rather a catalyst for positive change and a renewed commitment to building a world where every child’s right to life, liberty, and happiness is protected and upheld.
