High Court Orders Protection of Unattended Hindu Religious Sites from Encroachment 

The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir & Ladakh has ordered the local administration to protect Hindu temples and shrines left unattended after the community’s migration in the 1990s in order to help preserve their cultural heritage.

According to Srinagar based news gathering agency Kashmir Dot Com, the judgement comes after a significant court case concerning the fate of these neglected religious sites.

The petitioners, Kashmiri Pandits, had expressed concerns about the condition of the shrines. In response, the High Court emphasized the state’s responsibility to safeguard these historical sites.

Specifically, the court mandated the Ganderbal district magistrate to take immediate action to secure and maintain two particular shrines: ‘Asthapan Devraj Bharav’ and the ‘Vidhushe’ shrine.

The order cites the J&K Migrant Immovable Property Act to empower the district magistrate in this task.

The petitioners also brought up the troubling issue of encroachment on the Ganderbal district’s sole Hindu cremation ground.

The court acknowledged the urgency of addressing this concern and directed the removal of any encroachments within eight weeks of serving the order. The court also addressed a disputed lease on one of the shrine properties, declaring it expired and barring any extension.

This judgement establishes a clear path for addressing future grievances. The order allows any party, including the petitioners and those previously involved, to report encroachments to the Ganderbal district magistrate for appropriate action.