Four Kashmiri Hindu Houses Mysteriously Burn Down in J&K’s Anantnag

In a mysterious incident, four houses belonging to Kashmiri Hindus were gutted in fire on Sunday night in the Mattan area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district. These multi-story houses had been vacant since the owners, like many other Kashmiri Hindus, fled the valley in 1990 due to terrorism. Despite being uninhabited, the houses were well-constructed and in good condition.

 

 

The exact cause of the fire is the matter of investigation, but initial impressions suggest that this could be an attempt to demoralize Kashmiri Hindus who are contemplating returning to their homes in the valley. Various Kashmiri Hindu organizations have expressed their reactions to this incident and are calling for a thorough probe.

Ravinder Pandita, head of the Save Sharda Committee, expressed his sorrow over the incident in a tweet, suggesting that it appears to be an act of sabotage.

"Seems to be a sabotage. No one lived there. Hence no question of short circuit or any other natural cause. 3 to 4 migrant houses and one kothar got gutted in a massive fire in mattan near sports stadium. Houses gutted in fire belongs to sh Anand ji Razdan, Shadi Lal Razdan and Sham Lal Patwari. Razing symbols of aborigines. So sad.” Ravinder Pandita posted this on X.