Jammu witnessed major tension on Tuesday after authorities carried out an “anti-encroachment drive” in the Sidhra area, where dozens of houses belonging to members of the Gujjar and Bakerwal communities were demolished.
Officials said the joint operation involved the Forest Department, Forest Protection Force, Revenue Department, and police. The drive targeted alleged encroachments on forest land in the Raika Bandi belt near Jammu city.
According to officials, nearly 20 to 40 structures, including residential homes, were demolished and around 60 kanals of forest land was retrieved during the operation.
However, affected families strongly disputed the claims and said they had been living there for decades.
Gujjars under attack in Jammu, several houses and Kullas buldozed in Sidhra Jammu by Forest department it has been done after the BJP leader Vikram Randhava's threats . Shame on Gujjar community leaders who are making criminal silence. pic.twitter.com/ruwryvuKx7
— Zahid Parwaz Choudhary (@ZahidParwaz) May 19, 2026
“They came early in the morning with bulldozers. We were not even given time to take our belongings. Our children were inside the house,” said one affected woman.
Residents Allege No Notice, Call It Forced Eviction
Locals accused the administration of acting without prior notice and claimed the drive left families homeless within hours.
“We were not given any notice. We have electricity and water connections and have lived here for decades,” said another resident.
Many families said they were caught off guard as the demolition began around 5 am, with children and elderly people still inside homes.
Some residents also alleged that only poor families were targeted, while influential encroachments were ignored.
Minister Calls Action ‘Cruel and Targeted’
Jammu and Kashmir Forest and Tribal Affairs Minister Javed Rana strongly condemned the operation, calling it a “targeted and cruel eviction.”
He said, “Decades of heritage of innocent Gujjar-Bakerwal families have been reduced to rubble without taking the elected government or my ministry into confidence.”
Rana ordered an inquiry into the operation and directed officials to stop further eviction activity immediately. He also announced temporary relief, including tents, ration supplies, and restoration of basic services for affected families.
He added that the government would ensure rehabilitation and take action against any official found responsible for excesses.
Political Parties React, Demand Inquiry
The demolition triggered strong political reactions across Jammu and Kashmir.
Peoples Conference leader Sajad Gani Lone called the incident “deeply disturbing” and demanded clarity on who ordered the operation.
PDP youth leader Aditya Gupta accused the administration of targeting poor families while protecting powerful encroachers, saying, “Small homes of struggling families are bulldozed without mercy.”
Heart-wrenching scenes emerge from Jammu, where bulldozers have reportedly demolished over 40 houses belonging to poor and tribal families, leaving countless people homeless and devastated overnight.
— Nasir Khuehami (ناصر کہویہامی) (@NasirKhuehami) May 19, 2026
It is deeply painful and shocking that such ruthless actions are taking place… pic.twitter.com/T7XDcq75rO
National Conference MP Mian Altaf also demanded action against officials and said many families had been living in the area for over five decades.
Administration Defends Action, Cites Illegal Encroachment
Officials maintained that the drive was part of a lawful anti-encroachment operation aimed at reclaiming forest land.
They said eviction notices were issued and that over 17 lakh kanals of government land remain under encroachment across Jammu and Kashmir.
Forest officials said the drive followed court guidelines and was carried out with security deployment to prevent law and order issues.
