Pak targets hamlet of milkmen Gujjars in Jammu

A pall of gloom descended on Jorafarm, popularly known as the 'hamlet of milkmen Gujjars', as their hundreds of their 'kullas' (grass houses) were gutted and scores of bovines perished in the shelling by Pakistan troops.

The hamlet situated close to the International Border (IB) in R S Pura houses over 100 families and is famous as a supplier of milk and milk products to Jammu, the winter capital of the state.

"We have lost everything. Our kullas have been gutted in Pakistan mortar shelling and animals have perished. They were our source of income. We curse Pakistan for targeting civilians", Sattar Din, a resident, told PTI.
 

Din and other villagers were evacuated by the police lauded the force for saving them.

Another villager Gujjar Zaffar, whose lost two of his kin, Mohammad Akram and his two-year-old son, in Pakistan shelling in 2014, said firing and shelling was very intense this time unlike in the past when one or two shells used to burst in the village.

Year after year, Jorafarm is a constant target of the Pakistani rangers, who shell and fire on it, whenever there are border skirmishes.

Elder lady Sajada said "we have always been targeted in shelling. Several of the village's people have been killed and injured", she said.

Giving details about the evacuation operation, Sub Divisional Police Officer R S Pura, Surinder Choudhary told PTI that people in Jorafarm have been put in a relief camp.

"We have also brought their animals out of the village. However, over 150 kullas have been gutted in the fire and several animals have perished in the fire triggered by Pakistan shelling", Choudhary, who led the rescue operation, said.

Pakistani rangers started shelling along IB on Wednesday and till nearly 10 people were killed and nearly 50 injured besides damage and destruction to large number of buildings and death of over 150 animals in over 50 hamlets along IB and LoC in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu region.

Educational institutes have been closed for the next three days along IB and LoC in Jammu region by the authorities in the wake of increased tension along the Indo-Pak border due to Pak shelling.