Burning love: 15 houses torched after marriage dispute

More than 100 Gujar families were forced by local Rajputs to leave the area afterwards.

MUZAFFARABAD:

At least 15 houses were set on fire after a love marriage led to a clash between rival tribes in Doodpora village, Hattian Bala, some 40 kilometres from here, the police said.

According to the police, Waqas Chaudhry from the Gujar tribe contracted a court marriage with a girl from the Rajput tribe last week. On Tuesday, Rajput tribe members allegedly set 15 houses of members of the Gujar tribe on fire, which was followed by clashes in which numerous people were injured.

More than 100 Gujar families were forced by the local Rajputs to leave the area afterwards, with most going to stay with relatives in nearby villages. The Hattian Bala district administration sent the police to the area to control the situation. However, the police had not arrested anyone till the filing of this report.

Ishfaq Zaffar, a local leader from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — which is in power in Azad Kashmir — told The Express Tribune that the police and district administration were informed about the rising tension between the two rival tribes in the area a week ago but still failed to protect the property of the people. He estimated losses due to their “criminal negligence” at Rs30 million.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2013.