Numerous residents in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir have been significantly affected by the demolition of homes belonging to families of suspected militants involved in last month's fatal attack in the valley, resulting in residents living in close proximity to these alleged militants seeing their own houses rendered uninhabitable or destroyed.
Raja Begum, a 60-year-old resident of Murran village in Pulwama district, southern Kashmir, was doing housework on April 25 when armed forces arrived unexpectedly. They ordered her family to evacuate immediately and take shelter in a nearby barn.
Moments later, a deafening explosion shook the area. She soon learned it destroyed the home of her neighbor, Abdul Rashid Sheikh, whose son had allegedly joined a militant group. Begum's house was also damaged in the blast.
Now, terrified that the structure might collapse, she no longer dares to live there.
"At 20:00, we were told to leave, but another team of forces came and made us stay for a second stronger blast. It felt like the end of the world," Begum said.
In the past week, local authorities have used explosives to demolish at least 10 homes of suspected militants. This action was undertaken in response to a tragic shooting incident in Pahalgam town on April 22, which resulted in the deaths of at least 25 people and left several others wounded.
However, locals have condemned the demolitions as illegal and unjust.
"We share the sorrow of those who lost loved ones in the Pahalgam incident. But demolishing militants' homes afterwards is unjust. Their families did nothing wrong and their ancestors built the houses through hard work. Who will support them now?" said Gazi Manzoor, an activist in Guree village.
Fareeda Akther, a mother of four, fears for her family's future after armed forces targeted her neighbor's home -- an operation triggered by the neighbor's son, Adnan Shafi Dar, who had recently joined a militant group.
The blast left Akther's house with severe structural cracks, rendering it uninhabitable. Now displaced and sheltering with another neighbor, she said her family has lost all their belongings is now struggling to meet their basic needs.
"How long can we depend on others? My husband is a laborer. We built our house in poverty. I appeal to the government for compensation," Akther said.
Residents in Indian-controlled Kashmir endure hardship amid demolition of suspected militants' houses
