Expressing shock over the brutal massacre of a Chenani youth named Shiv Raj by some nomads and outside migrants in Seoj Dhar area last week, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman-JKNPP & former Minister sought a high level probe preferably by CBI into the said murder besides other untraced acts of violence and loot in the past in the Dudu belt of District Udhampur. He said that Seoj Dhar area had earned the most dubious notoriety in the past few years in view of growing number of criminal activities indulged in by migrant nomads from Pathankot, Gurdaspur and its adjoining areas of Punjab as well as from border areas of District Kathua. It has also remained the hub of militancy for several years, revealed Singh who held a protest dharna at Jammu today. He regretted that despite the apprehension of five nomads involved in the murder, the dead body of the victim had not been traced.
Pointing towards the gruesome incidents of crime in Seoj Dhar over the years, Mr. Harsh Dev said that large population of nomads migrated to the said area during summer season from different parts of District Kathua and from Punjab and forcefully occupied the forest lands, state lands, kah charai lands besides proprietary lands of locals through money and muscle power. These lands were then let out to the locals by the nomads for grazing purposes and huge money charged from them for allowing their cattle in the area. Several of these nomads were reported to be having links with militants and served as OGWs for them. They had let loose a reign of terror in the area with the poor people made to fall in line through intimidatory tactics and coercive measures. Even last year several local youth were beaten up mercilessly with many of them grievously wounded but the culprits managed to evade legal action and escaped to Punjab. The area being militancy prone, the element of insecurity has continued to loom large which has been exploited by these criminal elements from outside and other nomads having links with militant outfits, asserted Singh.
Peeved over the fear psychosis created in the area, Mr. Singh sought adequate deployment of central forces in the area to combat the nefarious designs of disruptive forces and to instill a sense of security in the area. He further sought enquiry into the encroachment and occupation of forest and state lands by these outsiders in Seoj Dhar and their unchecked criminal activities in the area. He said that nothing short of a CBI probe would satisfy the aspirations of the local people Sarpanchs and Chairmen of the area who are on protest for the last five days.