Srinagar, June 26 -- In the villages of Jammu & Kashmir, land has always been more than property. It is where people walk, graze their cattle, bury their dead, and gather as a community.

These shared spaces, known as Shamilat lands, have long connected village life. They are not privately owned but are meant for everyone.

Today, many of these lands are disappearing.

From the hills of Kupwara to the plains of Kathua, and from Pulwama to Poonch, people are quietly fencing, selling, and building on these village commons. Often, no one stops them. Officials look away. Neighbours accept the change. Bit by bit, the spaces that once belonged to all now belong to a few.

Shamilat lands, also called Shamilat deh, were once protected by village ...