Another Pulwama martyr’s wife seeks air strikes' proof

As the Government and the Opposition tussle over evidence of the Indian air strikes in Pakistan’s Balakot region that reportedly killed around 250-300 JeM terrorists, another Pulwama martyr’s wife has gone on the record to make her demand for the evidence.

“As evidence, we have received the bodies of our jawans after Pulwama attack, but there is no such evidence of the air strikes in Pakistan,” Geeta Devi, widow of Pulwama martyr Ram Vakeel told the Times of India on Wednesday.

Devi’s husband Ram Vakeel was on the bus that was attacked on Feb. 14 that killed 49 CRPF soldiers in Kashmir’s Pulwama region. He is survived by his wife and three sons. Her comments come a week after Sarmishtha Devi, 37-year-old wife of slain CRPF constable and Pulwama martyr Pradeep Kumar, went on the record to also ask for proof of the air strikes.

“We are not satisfied with the claims whatsoever. When Pulwama attack occurred, everyone saw the bodies of our jawans. There was a clear evidence. But here, we simply have claims...where is the proof? Where is the confirmation from Pakistan about the deaths? They could have easily showed it. No one has been killed. Air strikes occurred on empty base camps," said Sarmishtha Devi, a resident of Shamli, told TOI.

Kumar's 17-year-old son Siddharth also made the same demand. "Is it some kind of joke? Are terrorists complete fools? Would they still be in their camps waiting for air strikes to happen...we could have done this kind of practice in an empty area in Pulwama or Pokhran too," he said.