Insha Mushtaq
In yet another shocking incident, Gujjars in the Chanderkote area of Ramban district were assaulted by groups of right-wing Hindu pastoralists, again.
Two nomadic girls were injured in the incident including one pregnant lady. The pregnant woman was allegedly beaten by the right-wing Hindu pastoralists.
Both the ladies were rushed to Community Hospital in Batote from where the pregnant lady was referred to Shalamar Hospital Jammu. The condition of the pregnant lady is believed to be critical.
The Gujjars also alleged that the police do not book the attackers rather they register the case against Muslim Gujjars only. As per them, Six Muslim Gujjars have been arrested so far.
The right-wing Hindu pastoralists had earlier attacked the Muslim Gujjars in the Chanderkote area of Ramban district on 20th August, in which two family members from the Gujjar Bakerwal family were brutally injured.
After the attack, the Chanderkote police station had filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Gujjar Muslims after the complaint from Hindu pastoralists. The Muslim Gujjars allege that their complaints are not being registered at the Police Station.
Talking to The Kashmiriyat, Bashir Ahmed, a Muslim Gujjar from the Chanderkote area said, “In the morning, a mob of around 300-400 people attacked us and our cattle. Two of our ladies were brutally injured in the incident. One of them was pregnant, who was referred to Shalamar Hospital from Community hospital Batote.”
“The chances of survival of the pregnant lady and her baby are very low,” he added.
Bashir Ahmed said, “The attackers were accompanied by the police and the CRPF personnel.”
“We have been using this land for decades now but we are not allowed to use the forest land anymore. We are being threatened and assaulted by these people who come in huge numbers from various areas,” he further said.
He also said, “The Hindu Gujjar community are in majority in the region as compared to the Muslim Gujjar people because of which they assault us and we cannot live in peace.”
Bashir Ahmed claimed, “We approached the police for registration of First Information Report (FIR) but they did not file the case. They have filed FIR against 19 Muslim Gujjar pastoralists and have arrested six of them but the police refuse to register First Information Report (FIR) against the attackers.”