Army 'bans' farmers' entry across fence
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Sawjian (Poonch), July 21
Following violent protests by a group of women having land across the fence, the Army authorities have allegedly decided to ban the entry of these farmers across the fence before the LoC.

The women reportedly protested when they were not allowed by the Army authorities to return before the scheduled timing after carrying out farming activities on the Indian side near the LoC on July 14 at Uripora village here.

This comes after a group of 15-20 women - having their land between the first and last fence of the double fence before the LoC - had reportedly returned two or three hours after crossing over the first fence from Nariyan gate at the scheduled timing for crossing over at 8 am or 9 am and had asked the sentries posted at the gate of the fence to open the gate beyond the scheduled timing for closing of gate between 3 pm or 4 pm.

Army sentries of the 4 Bihar unit deployed at the gate of the first fence had reportedly refused to open the gate on the pretext that they were not the authority to open or close the gate beyond scheduled timing. The women then turned violent and allegedly raised slogans against the Army for not allowing them to come back after carrying out their farming activities.

"We crossed the first fence at 8 am for carrying out routine farming activities. As we had some urgent work at home we returned back at 11 am. We requested the sentries to open the gate but they refused to do so and instead started hurling abuses on us," said a protester.

Even as women protesters levelled serious allegations against the sentries posted at the Nariyan gate, the Army authorities claimed that the women forced the sentries to open the gate before scheduled timing of 3-4 pm but they refused to do so without seeking permission from the higher authorities.