Jammu, Clashes broke out between members of the Muslim Gujjar community and Indian police during an eviction and demolition operation in Samba district of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The operation has been criticized for its forceful displacement of community members and destruction of their properties.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the conflict occurred as authorities enforced an anti-encroachment drive to reclaim land near Balol Nullah in the Bari Brahmana area, reportedly seizing 20 acres so far. SSP Vinay Sharma of Samba described the operation as necessary to retrieve land, but it has led to significant tension and violence.
During the operation, at least 40 houses of the Gujjar community were demolished, sparking confrontations that resulted in injuries to several people on both sides. Police resorted to using teargas and batons against the community members, who allegedly attacked the officers with stones and weapons. The actions are part of a broader accusation against the Indian government’s efforts under the BJP-led Hindutva agenda to change the demographics of the majority-Muslim region by dispossessing locals of their land and properties.