Scores of people from Gujjar Bakarwal community in Kupwara staged a protest on Tuesday against the ‘illegal and intentional burning’ of their sheds in Dardpora, Kupwara, by local residents.
Speaking to the media here at Srinagar’s Press Enclave, the group of Gujar-Bakarwal, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said three months ago, their Dokas [Sheds] in Dardpora, Kupwara, were set on fire and damaged by the local residents of Kupwara.
“We also informed the local police station, and they visited the site. However, even after 20 days, no action has been taken, and they have not even filed an FIR against the accused individuals,” said Chowdary Talib Hussain Khatara, one of the protesters.
“We are nomadic people, migrating there for six months. The local residents there want to seize the land, and they have already fenced it,” he added.
“We have been migrating there for a long time, and the land has been allocated for grazing purposes. We also have a court order for it. We have been continuously receiving threats, and we would like to request the administration to kindly address this issue and provide us with security,” he said—(KNO)