Late ADDC residence dedicated as library in Jammu

Paying a befitting tribute to a diligent public servant who sacrificed his life in the line of duty in the immediate aftermath of ‘Operation Sindoor’ last year, the District Administration of Rajouri has transformed the official residence of the late Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC), Dr Raj Kumar Thapa, into a public memorial and library for posterity.

A senior officer of the District Administration in Rajouri told The Pioneer that the official residence of ADDC Raj Kumar Thappa has been converted into a public memorial and library for students.  We have displayed the hard work done by the ADDC Raj Kumar Thappa in the form of a picture gallery inside his residence.

Raj Kumar Thapa, an MBBS graduate who joined the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) in 2001, was serving as ADDC Rajouri when he succumbed to injuries during heavy shelling on May 10, 2025.

Before he became a victim of cross-border shelling by Pakistan, ADDC Thappa remained on his toes, finalising arrangements for the safety of residents along the Line of Control in Rajouri, facing cross-border shelling from Pakistan. He later joined the Deputy Chief Minister and attended a late-night meeting chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to review the evacuation plan and assess the ongoing relief measures across border districts. On May 10, when Thappa was inside his official residence, a shell landed outside one of the windows of his residence, and splinters struck him in the head and back.

Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, Abhishek Sharma, while paying tributes last year, remembered Raj Kumar Thapa as an able Civil servant. He laid down his life in the line of duty during unprovoked shelling by Pakistan. His valour will be remembered with honour.  His contribution to the Badhaal crisis was unparalleled. People from different walks of life also remembered him as a workaholic and an efficient civil servant, Sharma had said, remembering his contributions for the welfare of the common masses.

The converted residence will serve as a memorial space to commemorate his legacy while functioning as a public library to benefit the community, particularly youth and students in the border district.

Residents in the area have also appreciated the gesture of the district authorities aimed at preserving the memory of an officer who sacrificed his life while serving the nation.