Six months after the gruesome massacre of Hindus in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, Hindu Village Defence Committee (VDC) members facing terrorist threats are forced to migrate to neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh.
According to reports, at least 15 families of VDC members of Sawara village in Gundoh area of Doda have migrated to Chamba district after the local administration snatched the weapons of some of the VDC members on the allegations that Hindus of the village had allegedly killed one Muslim. This village has majority of Hindus.
Simultaneously, police registered a case against one Hindu Special Police Officer after his weapon was snatched by some unidentified men, placing him under suspension.
The BJP local leader Mela Ram accused the state government of conspiring to force the Hindus to shift from the place. He said VDC members did not kill the Muslim on purpose; he was killed when the watch group of VDC found some suspicious movements and fired to thwart any terrorist attack. He said the murder cases against five VDC members should be withdrawn and the SPO be installed since his weapon was snatched under force by some unidentified men, which is a common feature in remote areas. Hindus have been facing constant terrorist attacks and only in months of April and May, over 35 were killed in Doda and Udhampur districts.
Meanwhile, the DIG, Doda, L. Mohantu said talks are under process to persuade the Hindus camping at Himachal Pradesh to return. The officer said many of the VDC members still possess the weapons and allegations that their weapons have been seized are baseless.
It must be mentioned here that majority of VDC members in Jammu and Kashmir are Hindus who braving threats have taken gun in self-defence to thwart terrorist acts where it was difficult for the security agencies to establish a base. It has been a successful story so far.
