It was the first significant protest against the J-K governor administration’s order, which was issued on January 4 and demanded that all ‘illegal occupants’ of state property vacate the areas within seven days or face consequences.

The protesters demanded that the Lt Governor administration revoke the order in a memo they sent to the local authorities.

“The order has created panic among the people as it will make them homeless and landless. The land was provided to the people for making homes and cultivation. Many houses have been constructed on these lands under the PMAY,” Chaudhary Haroon Khatana, a local activist spearheading the protest, said.

In separate notices distributed throughout the Union Territory on January 18, the Jammu and Kashmir administration warned residents that if they failed to leave the “state land” on their own, strict action would be taken against any “illegal encroachers.”

Concerning the encroachment of “state land,” the Executive Magistrates 1st Class throughout JK have issued notices for the general public.

The notices instructed the individuals who had allegedly encroached upon state property to take immediate action to remove the encroachments within two days.