Fearing Attack, Police Advice Jammu Gujjars To Not Travel At Night, Halt Their Movement

‘Gujjars protect their animals like their kids, so cow protectors need not worry’: Gujjar organisation

Updated on: 24 April 2017 1:34 pm

As police have arrested eleven persons on charges of attacking a nomad family in Reasi region of Jammu, video of which has gone viral, a statement issued by a tribal organization has appealed for calm.

Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation (TRCF), an organization that works for the welfare of the tribal people, in a statement here said, "since centuries together, we-the Gujjars- protect our animals like our kids so the cow protectors need not worry."

Police have arrested eleven people for allegedly attacking members of nomadic family in Reasi district of Jammu.

Police have also booked four members of the nomadic family for transporting cattle from Reasi to Inshan in Kishtwar district without permission.

Jammu police chief Dr SD Singh has advised nomads (Gujjars-Bakerwals) not to travel during night and directed the police officials to provide them protection when they move from one place to another.

“We have issued advisory directing all the police stations to provide protection to the nomads when they move to other places with their cattle”, he said talking to reporters in Jammu. He said the police will provide them full protect but the nomads should travel only in the afternoon.

The police advisory that nomads shouldn't move during night have put nomads in a fix as they always move during night on highway due to no traffic or less traffic. The advisory is likely to halt their movement towards higher reaches where they take their cattle and sheep for grazing and hurt them economically.

"Jammu is traditionally known for tolerance, brotherhood and religious harmony and we appeal elders of majority community for strengthening of old practices", the TRCF, president Dr. Javaid Rahi said, statement said.

"We appeal residents of Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Riasi and Udhampur district to be soft with nomadic tribes who are under taking biannual migration towards upper reaches along with animals," the statement reads.

Nomadic Gujjars or Bakerwals, who begun their bi-annual seasonal migration to the upper reaches of Pirpanchal of the Himalayas in March-April, constitutes 31 per cent of population and electorate in Reasi. The district Reasi is part of Doda-Udampure parliamentary seat.