Tension flared up in Jammu’s Kathua district after the authorities tried to demolish a mosque, allegedly built on government land, leading to clashes in which around half a dozen policemen were injured.

The clashes broke out as the 52-day-long annual Amarnath yatra started in the Valley with the first batch of pilgrims leaving the twin base camps — Baltal in Sonamarg and Nunwan in Pahalgam — for their journey to the cave.

Locals in Nagri of Kathua district said a group of officers, assisted by a strong contingent of security forces, arrived early on Saturday at Paddri to demolish a mosque.

“They had brought bulldozers to demolish the mosque. But locals came out in large numbers to protest the move. The construction of the mosque had started around a decade ago but it was built in piecemeal. Nobody objected to it all these years,” Lal Hussain, a member of the tribal Gujjar community, said.

“People resisted the move and did not allow them to demolish the mosque,” he added.

An official said the locals attacked the police with stones, forcing them to abandon the demolition drive. Five policemen, including an officer, were injured, the official said.

Videos showed the mob chasing the cops through farmland and attacking them with stones. Additional security personnel have been rushed to the spot and they remain stationed there. Locals fear the government might resume the demolition drive.

Jameel Choudhary, leader of Dodhi (milkmen) Gujjar Association, said he spoke to Jammu divisional commissioner Rakesh Kumar about the incident and asked him not to target the religious place.

“He told me that the mosque was built illegally (on state land). I told him that he could be right but why target only one community? I told him there are several temples built on state land in the area and if they demolish even one of them, we will voluntarily level the mosque,” Choudhary told The Telegraph.

He claimed the drive seems to be politically motivated as Gujjars had voted against
the BJP in the recent Lok Sabha polls.

Officials said the injured policemen were taken to the district hospital for treatment.

Kathua district was recently rocked by a militant attack, which resulted in a gunfight and two militants and a CRPF man were killed. One civilian was also injured in the incident.

Security forces have conducted multiple search operations in Kathua.

Thousands of pilgrims on Saturday started their journey to the Amarnath cave amid tight security.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished the yatris well.

“This yatra associated with the darshan of Baba Barfani infuses immense energy in the devotees of Lord Shiva. May all devotees prosper with his blessings. Jai Baba Barfani,” Modi said in a post on X in Hindi.