By NAK,
Mandhar : Accusing Army for dishonoring graveyards of Muslim community by installing toilets rooms, hundreds of people today came out on roads and staged massive protest for hours against the Military camp stationed near Stali Chir Zeyarat at Balakot Block of Mandhar Tehsil of border district Poonch.
The protesters were demanding fencing of the graveyard so as to protect it from further encroachment of its land at the hands of the concerned Army troopers.
Reliable sources told News Agency of Kashmir that since few months anger was generating among the locals over the installation of toilets by the 19 Dogra Army battalion station in the said area.
Army has established their toilets on the grave yards and has allegedly been found in filling ‘grave yards’ with stone and sand so that community members could not claim said land, alleged a local Mohammed Reham.
Namberdar of the area MR Khan claimed that around 36 kanals of land at 183 compartments in Khasra number 258/259 has been a grave yard for the Muslim community members of the area and they have been using it since long.
Khan said that the grave yard land is being misused by the station army battalion and have established their toilets rooms on the graves. He said that most of the graves have been damaged with a purpose to project as if it was not a brave yard but a waste land.
While Sarpanch of Balakot Inayat Ulla-Khan said that administration should take action other wise people would be forced to come on roads so that grave yard could be saved.
Inayat said that to toilets should be removed from their “They hurting our sentiments”.
Sub-District Magistrate (SDM), Mandhar TK Bhat told News Agency of Kashmir that he has visited the place and has directed the army authorities stationed their to remove toilets and establish them at another place, two months back.
Bhat said that he asked them to demarcate grave yard with wire adding “Army had assured that they will do what has been asked by the district administration”.
He, however further informed that “It was also asked to separate grave yard and state land”, adding what is happening since last two months after my visit, I do not know”.