More than 500 permanently settled Muslim families, mostly in Nurpur, Jawali, and Dehra sub-divisions of Kangra, have been affected by the changed atmosphere in Himachal with Kangra facing immediate fallout of the militancy in adjoining Chamba. They are frequently subjected to interrogation by the police looking for possible links with Jammu and Kashmir militants.

``We have nothing to do with the Gujjar nomads or the militants in J&K yet we are being singled out by the police which have made us appear as culprits before the Hindu families,'' laments Tersem Lal, a Muslim livestock owner in Jakander area of Dehra sub-division.

The Muslims are also facing gradual alienation from the Hindus. ``So much so that the latter have stopped talking to us even on mundane matters. ,'' rues Tarsem.

When contacted, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said his government was fully aware of the social aspects of the police screening the Muslims for suspects or possible links with J&K militants. ``But to maintain communal harmony, we have asked the police to interrogate or keep an eye on all suspected persons irrespective of caste or religion and only on the basis of concrete evidence. Our motive is not to single out any community,'' Dhumal added.

Echoing Dhumal, Kangra Deputy Commissioner Sushil Negi said, ``We do not have any information that the permanently settled Muslims are feeling alienated or let down. We are just keeping an eye on the vulnerable sections of Muslims. ,'' Negi said.

The police describe the inquiries made in Jawali and Nurpur as part of a routine vigil, stepped up in the wake of the Chamba massacres. The large number of Muslim Gujjar nomads, having links in the valley, as well as the madrasas run there, have always been eyed with suspicion by the authorities. But what has shattered the communal amity in Dehra belt is the fact that the Kangra police have started questioning the presence of some maulvis in Khabbli Dhawala, Muhlan, Sanot Kalapani and Khundian villages though the latter have been living there for more than six months.

``It's only after the Chamba killings that I was questioned about giving shelter to a maulvi from Qadian in Gurdaspur. Both Hindu and Muslim kids used to come to our house to learn Urdu and Islamic traditions. But ever since the police started making inquiries following complaints about the maulvi forcing people to take to Islamic education, they have stopped coming,'' says a resident of Khabbli who does not want to be named.

Police verification of the maulvis who have been teaching in Kangra madrasas, has helped remove the suspicion but the rift between the two communities is evident with the Muslims complaining about their counterparts having become ``unnecessarily suspicious'' about their activities.