Police Action against Nomads Inhuman: JK Gujjars

Srinagar, May 10: The Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir today demanded dismissal of J&K Police and Forest officials who set ablaze more than 50 Houses of Nomad Gujjars and looted the property of worth lakhs at village Karnala Chak on the banks of river Tawi adjoining Vikram Chowk in Jammu yesterday.

The community alleged that brute use of force at an isolated place is cruel, ruthless and inhuman and speaks in volumes about highhandedness of Government against landless nomadic and tribal groups of the state.

Addressing a protest meeting held here this afternoon Haji Shamsher Ali Boken, President Jammu and Kashmir Gujjars Bakerwal Joint Forum, demanded a judicial probe into the incidents and sought the intervention of President of India, Smt Partibha Dev Singh Patil in the matter.

He said the Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 gave rights to Nomadic groups cultivating forest land adding that we have sent a communication addressed to President of India where under we have demanded constitutional right on forest land in Jammu and Kashmir.

He alleged that the state government instead of rehabilitating the nomadic Gujjars in the state is bent upon to evocate them from their ancestral land used by them since centuries together.

The clash between police and the members of nomadic tribe broke out in the yesterday afternoon when officers of social forestry department led by DFO Rupe Avtar Kour reached the spot today and asked to vacate the land. The Nomadic Gujjars refused to vacate the land. Later Police used heavy force against Gujjars and evacuated 50 families and 500 livestock by burning down their houses and injuring 30 peoples including females.

Democracy does not give the police and forest people a license to use force against the tribal people at their free will, Haji said adding that they have no right to set on fire the huts of this poor people.

He alleged that even the children were not spared and Police misbehaved with the female members of community which is painful and intolerable.

He appealed to the community members to protest against this inhuman act of Police and Forest officials. He also urged the government to provide temporary shelters to displaced families. (NAK)