Anti-encroachment drive turns violent in Jammu, several hurt
Six policemen and three government officials among those injured during the clashes
JAMMU : An anti-encroachment drive in the city took an ugly turn on Saturday when a joint team of the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) and police were attacked by a stone-pelting mob, leaving at least eleven people, including three JDA officials, six police personnels and a local, injured.
JDA vice chairman PS Rathore, Bakshinagar station house officer (SHO) and an assistant sub-inspector of police(asi), besides six other cops were among those injured during the drive in Beliw-charana Nikki Tawi area in the city.
All injured were rushed to hospital, officials said.
“At around 7am, the team along with police and CRPF personnels had reached the site to evict encroachers from the state government land. As the team initiated action and bulldozers were set in, a strong mob assembled in the area and clashed with the officials and police,” a police official said.
They said the mob, comprising of people who had built their houses on the encroached land, pelted stones and hurled bricks on the team and their vehicles resulting in injuries to over 11 persons and damage to four vehicles.
As per officials there were over one hundred people at the time of the start of encroachment drive but the locals called other people from various places leading to a massive gathering.
Eventually, police had to resort to water cannons and teargas to disperse the mob.
“Bakshinagar SHO suffered a dislocation in one of his shoulders while the ASI was hit by a stone on the back of his head,” they added.
The crackdown was carried out in compliance to Jammu and Kashmir High Court directions, which is monitoring the case of massive encroachments of state, forest and JDA lands in Jammu city.
“We have directions from the high court to remove all illegal settlements around Tawi River. But despite notices there is no impact on the encroachers which compelled us to undertake the drive,” a JDA official said.
He further added, “Those protesting feared that no one would come and question their illegality and they would continue living on governmentowned land.”
‘THE DRIVE HAS BEEN LAUNCHED ONLY TO HARASS US’
Those protesting the anti-encroachment drive questioned the authorities as to how they allowed construction of colonies in the area during NC, PDP and Congress rules in Jammu and Kashmir but ‘suddenly woke up now’.
“Before razing our houses, they have to demolish the illegal structures raised by former ministers and MLAS. Why are these drives selective?,” said one of the protesters.
They alleged that power connections, water connections and other facilities have been provided by successive governments but there were efforts to remove them now.
“We are tax-paying citizens and have all legal documents, including ration cards and Aadhar cards. The drive is launched only to harass us,” a protester said.
They alleged that power connections, water connections and other facilities have been provided by successive governments but there were efforts to remove them now.