The Resistance Front threatens to kill all involved in J&K eviction drive
Amid uproar in the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir against the land eviction drive, The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Toiba, has issued threats to bulldozer owners, drivers and officials of the revenue department who are on forefront of the demolitions.
The TRF claimed that the drive is part of establishing “illegal settlements” in Kashmir. In the last one month, hundreds of kanals of state land have been retrieved from alleged land grabbers in the UT. However, many locals claim that despite possession of valid documents, their houses are being demolished without any reason.
J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and top BJP local leaders have said that poor people with small landholdings won’t be touched and said this drive is against the influential people who took advantage of their position to grab the state land.
On Sunday evening, TRF issued threats through a blog, The Kashmir Fight, to officials of revenue department, owners and drivers of the bulldozers used in the demolition drive.
“When the properties of Resistance Lovers were being destroyed, you were watching as mute spectators but Resistance Fighters will fight for your cause for the sake of Allah,” read a statement of the TRF which went viral on social media.
The threat letter further read the Resistance Fighters will target and kill anyone who’s either the owner or driver of these bulldozers or JCBs. “Will target and kill anyone who is working in revenue department –from peon to clerk to patwari, naib tehsildar, tehsildar or DC. Involved or not. Whosoever is working in this department is on the target list.”
TRF asked the people to target the houses of employees from revenue department living in their neighbourhood. “We will take the responsibility of these acts. If we are not around your area, general public can do it by themselves and the guys doing it will be welcomed in Resistance Fighters’ ranks.”
The threat letter also claimed there will be no distinction between good employee and bad employee, everyone will be under the target of the barrel of Resistance Fighters gun. “Properties of these employees will be targeted with every possible means. These traitors won’t be allowed to sleep as the sword of Resistance Fighters will always be hanging, not only on their heads but also on their near and dear ones. Resistance Fighters have already given go-ahead for eliminating these traitors.”
When contacted, additional director general of police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar termed it a general threat. “It’s a general threat digital pamphlet, the genuineness of which is being ascertained. However, if any government official or person receives any specific threat, we will provide security,” he said adding that police team always accompanies revenue teams during land eviction and demolition operations.
In January, the Supreme Court had refused to stay a circular issued by the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir directing all deputy commissioners to remove encroachments on state land, including Roshni and Kahcharai land by January 31, observing that the blanket order will benefit encroachers. Acting upon the orders, all deputy commissioners issued notices asking people to remove encroachments before January 31 or face demolition.
