Gujjar community seeks job, relief for victim’s kin in Kathua

Makhan Din, 25, a resident of Billawar in Kathua district, ended his life after releasing a video in which he claimed to have been tortured by the police and coerced into admitting that he had information about terrorists. In response to the incident, the Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust, a prominent organisation representing the nomadic community, condemned the incident as a “deeply disturbing case of brutal custodial torture inflicted by the police on a young Gujjar man, tragically resulting in his suicide.”

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According to reports, Din was the nephew of a terrorist who had fled to Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir years ago and was allegedly helping with terrorist activities in the Jammu region.

Arshad Ali Choudhary, chairman of the Trust, expressed shock and grief over the incident. “We strongly denounce the alleged custodial torture in what appears to be a fabricated case, and a blatant violation of human rights and justice,” Choudhary said. “The Trust firmly stands in solidarity with the bereaved family and the Gujjar community, who have been left devastated by this tragic loss. We demand an immediate, impartial, and time-bound judicial inquiry to ensure that the truth prevails and justice is served without delay,” he added.

The community has also called for financial compensation for the family of the deceased, alongside employment for a member of Din's family to help them during their time of grief. “In light of the family's suffering, the government must provide suitable employment to a member of Makhan Din's family to help them rebuild their lives,” the Trust emphasised.

Sadiq Azad, the general secretary of the Trust, highlighted the need for concrete measures to protect the rights of the Gujjar community. “Authorities must implement measures to safeguard the rights, dignity, and security of the Gujjar community, ensuring that such acts are never repeated,” Azad said. “The Trust asserts that justice delayed is justice denied. Therefore, we urge the authorities concerned to take immediate and strict action against those responsible, ensuring accountability at every level.”

The Jammu and Kashmir Police and the District Magistrate have already initiated separate inquiries into the incident, though reports are still awaited.

This is not the first such incident involving members of the Gujjar community, who predominantly reside in the mountainous and forested areas of the Jammu region.

In December 2023, three Gujjar men from from Surankote in Poonch were found dead after being detained by security forces. Action was taken against the Army officials involved in the alleged torture.