J-K: Hindu-Muslim rift out in open | 'Peace please'

TORN APART: The Jammu row is threatening to tear apart the economic bond between Kashmir and Jammu.

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Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir is now being divided along communal lines, and the battle is predominantly between the “Hindu Jammu region” and the Muslim.

The Amaranth land row has not just polarised the two regions deeply but is also now threatening to tear apart the centuries old economic bond between Kashmir and Jammu.

Over 17 people – including 10 policemen and two photographers – were injured on Tuesday as violence triggered by the land row escalated.

While the policemen and photographers were attacked in Akhnoor, in Kathua, five protesters were injured. Meanwhile, top central and state government officials claimed to have decided to act tough and secure the Jammu-Srinagar national highway for transportation of goods.

Kashmir has been hit hard by the economic blockade of the highway by the Amarnath Sangrash Samiti. Though the administration claimed food and fuel supplies are reaching the Valley, people have been complaining about the shortage of essentials like petrol, life saving drugs and baby food.

Says a medical store owner, Fayaz Dar, “There are no life saving drugs in Kashmir. We can do something with food, but 90 per cent of medicines have dried up, they will last a week's time ''

Fuel, too, is running out. “I came from Sopore to tank up. There is no fuel and we cannot go to hospital to attend to our patients,” says a resident Rouf Ahmad.

The economic blockade has forced many in Kashnir to cancel marriages and feasts. The harassed traders in the Valley have now decided to snap business ties with their Jammu counterparts.

“Since they are not allowing consumer goods to this place we too have decided to boycott them and now onwards we will trade with merchants from Ludhiana, Delhi and Amritsar,” says Jan Mohammad Kaul of Kashmir Traders Federation.