JAMMU: The militant’s attempts to create communal polarization in the sensitive Doda district have sparked off migration from some areas, according to Indian intelligence.
Though the Army and the security forces had laid siege to the Ghat Baboor area (for the fifth day on Noy.15), the militants in Ramban tehsil were successful in creating panic amongst a large number of people living in the remote hilly areas.
Nearly 400 persons living in two villages Kunda and Kuta of Ramban tehsil migrated to Ramban town and Ramsoo on Sunday, following militant’s attack on their villages on Saturday night.
The Militants, who have increased their activities in the areas near the Jammu Srinagar national highway, firing at the passing Army convoys in the past six months, went to these villages on Saturday night. They asked the villagers, majority of them belonging to a particular community to lineup. When a person named Sadhu Ram objected to this he was shot dead.
They threatened the villagers to vacate the land. Before taking away another youth named Nasib Singh, they resorted to indiscriminate firing injuring 10 persons.
The terrified villagers migrated to Ramban town and took shelter in a government school building. According to the reports received here, the militants had put up posters in the area asking the people belonging to a particular community to migrate. In the last fortnight, four youths were kidnapped from village Ukal. Somehow two: managed to escape from the clutches of the militants while the dead bodies of the two captives were found later.
The three major towns of the district are witnessing a complete communal divide since the start of militancy in the district since last year.
Curfew had to be imposed in the towns of Doda, Bhaderwah and Kishwar to avoid clashes between the two warring communities.
The migration of families from the villages of Cherji, Dool and Bagna to Kishtwar had worsened the communal scenario.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 19, 1993
