A tragic accident at the Dangdoru hydropower project site in Kishtwar has led to widespread protests, as family members and local residents demand justice for Ghulam Hussain Dar, a worker and father of five daughters, who died on the job. The project site, operated by JP Company, has previously been criticized for safety lapses, and protesters allege that recurring negligence has led to multiple incidents, including this recent fatality.
Dar, whose income was the sole source of support for his family, reportedly lost his life due to inadequate safety measures at the Dangdoru project site. The incident has raised renewed calls for stricter safety protocols and compensation for victims’ families. In response, family members, community leaders, and other workers gathered outside the Kishtwar police station, staging protests that extended into the late hours.
The protest saw support of local figures, including District Development Council (DDC) Chairperson Pooja Thakur, who gave an impassioned address urging immediate compensation for Dar’s family. Thakur reportedly spoke with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, conveying the community’s demands for accountability from the JP Company and compensation for the bereaved family. Imam Farooq Ahmed Kitchloo of the Jamia Masjid in Kishtwar also addressed the gathering, decrying the lack of support from district authorities, which he attributed to Dar’s impoverished background, sources told The Chenab Times. “If the deceased had been a person of means, officials would have rushed to support the family,” one relative expressed, reflecting the community’s feeling of injustice.
Protests intensified when some JP Company employee attempted to speak with the crowd, prompting anger among demonstrators who demanded that senior executives, including the company’s head, address them directly. Protesters accused the company of disregarding workers’ safety, with many workers staging a separate sit-in to emphasize that lapses in safety protocols have become a recurring issue. According to The Chenab Times sources, former minister GM Saroori, PDP leader Sheikh Nasir and various other leaders also joined the protestors, signaling broad-based frustration with what many view as a pattern of neglect by JP Company.
The Dangdoru project has faced past incidents due to similar safety concerns, and community members argue that the company has failed to implement a permanent solution. Local leaders have called for an impartial investigation into the accident and immediate redress for the family of Ghulam Hussain Dar. Kishtwar is set to observe a shutdown on Saturday, with protests expected to continue across the district as the public calls for justice.
The district administration has yet to issue a formal response, and negotiations between the protesters and JP Company representatives remain stalled. As the tragedy sparks widespread calls for change, locals demand immediate and tangible steps to ensure worker safety and protect the lives of vulnerable families depending on these high-risk jobs.
