Srinagar
In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, PDP President Mehbooba Mufti has denounced the persecution of members of the Gujjar-Bakerwal communities by the Indian authorities in Shopian forest areas.
She said this in response to the reports theat many community members were injured during the eviction drive by the forest department in the upper reaches of the Zampathri area of Shopian district.
Gujjars from Kellar in Shopian were beaten to pulp by the forest department. “On one hand this administration makes tall claims about the implementation of Forest Rights Act while at the same time they continue to hound and persecute these communities,” the PDP chief tweeted.
Mehbooba also posted on Twitter a video of a member of the community claiming he was beaten up by forest department personnel.—KMS
