Jammu/Srinagar, May 21 -- The Congress in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday demanded a high-level inquiry headed by a sitting or retired high court judge into the recent eviction and demolition drive in the forest area of Jammu, alleging that the action was "arbitrary, inhuman and illegal".

Police and Forest department on Tuesday carried out a massive anti-encroachment drive on the outskirts of the city and demolished over 20-30 structures to retrieve nearly 60 kanals of prime forest land worth crores of rupees in the Raika Bandi forest belt of the lower Shivalik range, officials said.

JKPCC working president Raman Bhalla alleged that more than 40 families were evicted during the midnight demolition drive without prior notice or due proces...