We are losing our property in Kashmir: Pandits

Panun Kashmir, an organisation for displaced Kashmir Pandits, on Wednesday alleged vested interests have grabbed a number of properties of Hindus in the Kashmir valley and urged the state government to take stern action against the guilty.

"We have received several reports that some vested interests in Kashmir valley have been grabbing the properties, including agriculture lands, residential houses and religious premises, of displaced Hindus in different parts of Kashmir," Chairman of Panun Kashmir, Agnishekhar, said.

"A fact-finding team sent by us recently to the valley has reported that many places have been grabbed by vested interests in the valley," he said.

The grabbed properties include religious places like cremation ghat and temple land of Karihama-Gutingu in Kupwara district, Batpura and Kapalmochan temples in Shopian district and Shiv temple at Thejiwara, he said.

Besides, some residential houses and orchards belonging to Kashmiri Hindus are also under the illegal occupation of some people in different parts of the valley, he said.

Panun Kashmir has decided to depute a team to the valley to make a full assessment of the encroachments, Agnishekhar said.

He urged Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to intervene personally and initiate immediate action against such elements so that the encroachments are vacated at the earliest.