Kashmiri Pandits Protest, Block Highway Demanding Separate Homeland, Genocide Bill

Thousands of displaced Kashmiri Pandits demonstrated in Jammu's Jagti area, marking the 36th anniversary of their exodus. The protesters blocked the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway for hours, demanding the formation of a separate Union Territory, an 'Anti-Genocide Bill' in Parliament, and official recognition as victims of genocide. They argued that without a separate administrative setup, their safe return to the Kashmir Valley is impossible and that the 1990s events constituted a planned genocide, not just displacement. The demonstration led to a significant traffic jam, with authorities attempting to pacify the crowd. One protester was injured and hospitalized after falling from a culvert. The protest concluded after negotiations, though dissatisfaction over their demands persists. Traffic on the national highway has since been restored.