Army seeks to 'calm down' Kashmir with jadoo ki jhappi

Col Dharmendra Yadav gives a ‘jadoo ki jhappi' (magical hug) to a local Imam at Rainpora in Anantnag district. Pic/PTI

Dialgam: Blending its Operation ‘Calm Down' with ‘Jadoo ki Jhappi' (magical hug), Army is now foraying into the interiors of South Kashmir, giving semblance of law and order and building up confidence among the locals to open their establishments which have been shut for nearly three months.

At the break of dawn, Colonel Dharmendra Yadav, in-charge of the most sensitive Anantnag district, takes out his jeep to take a round. He mingles with locals, interacts with them, especially the children.

A resident of Gurgaon, Col Yadav often meets the village elders and is seen greeted by an affectionate hug which he calls a ‘Jadoo ki Jhappi.' Col Yadav was part of a team of young Army officers involved in the encounter in Bumdoora village in which Burhan Wani and his two aides were killed.

After the army launched the ‘Operation Calm Down' in South Kashmir earlier this month, Col Yadav got his men back from highway domination and started getting into the interior areas clearing maximum of the arterial roads leading to the National Highway.

Col Yadav redresses locals' grievances in the Naujawan (young) club, and after a session, does not forget to give his dose of Jadoo ki Jhappi to all those who now seem to be at some ease with his assurances of looking into their problems personally.