Kashmir News Weekly Roundup: 10/29-11/5

Exclusive:

Mass arbitrary civilian detentions conducted  in North Kashmir

For the last two weeks, Indian Police in occupied Kashmir have been carrying out mass abductions across North Kashmir’s Kupwara and Bandipora districts. 

“The Indian Army stormed into our village in Handwara on Wednesday night and dragged civilians out of their homes, assaulting them in front of their family before taking them,” said a local. He added that many of these individuals have been detained from their residences during night raids to remain undocumented as mandated by the Indian law. In many cases, even the charges have not been filed, putting these detentions under illegal and arbitrary detention categories.

Exclusive:

India Occupation Forces crush Kashmiri civilian to death in Srinagar

A civilian was killed after an armored vehicle crushed him to death on Saturday afternoon in the Baghat area of uptown Srinagar. The individual was identified as Manzoor Ahmad Wani, son of Ghulam Ahmad Wani, resident of Budgam. Manzoor was leaving his classes on his scooter when the incident happened.

In the aftermath of the incident, hundreds of students took to the streets, obstructing traffic and expressing their outrage. They raised slogans and pelted stones at the military vehicle involved in the tragic event. Promptly, the JK Police intervened, facilitating the safe passage of the military personnel. Subsequently, the police officers not only clashed with civilians but also detained students who were advocating for the filing of an FIR and the arrest of the CRPF personnel responsible for driving the vehicle.

Notably, there are thousands ‘hit and run’ cases in the Kashmir valley, where no justice is delivered or, in some cases, not even an FIR is registered. These incidents remain largely unreported and, when reported, are bereft of context and patterns due to unprecedented press censorship. This form of killing has also gone severely unnoticed by human rights watchdogs.

News Updates:

India shuts Kashmir’s grand mosque for fourth consecutive Friday

The Indian Occupation Authorities banned congregational Friday prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar on Friday for the fourth consecutive week after demonstrations in support and solidarity with Palestine. The grand mosque, located in the Nawyut area of the city, remained locked as occupying forces blocked the roads leading to the main entrances and placed armored vehicles near the gates.

The imposed authorities also stopped Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Kashmir’s Chief Cleric, from going to the mosque. Hurriyat Conference chairman Umar Farooq termed the closure of the mosque as “unfortunate” and said the Jammu and Kashmir High Court should take notice of the issue.

While protests supporting Palestine are being criminalized, Indian forces, in many instances, have been reported carrying Israeli flags atop their armored vehicles. The convoys hoisting these flags pass through civilian areas to show dominance and hurt people’s sensitivities.

Occupation Authorities seize home in Kulgam for allegedly sheltering fighters

In the Kulgam area of South Kashmir, police on Wednesday took control of a private home for allegedly housing and supporting rebel militants. Sanaullah Mir, the son of Mohd Abdullah Mir of Turigam, owned the residential property, which was largely destroyed by the invading army during a military operation earlier this month.

Notably, there is a continuous attack on the properties of those connected to the Kashmiri resistance movement. Hundreds of civilian properties have been attached and seized by different Indian agencies since India illegally ended Kashmir’s autonomy and took complete control of its institution in 2019.

Bullet-ridden body of non-local found in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district

The body of a non-local with bullet wounds was found in the Nowpora area in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Monday afternoon. Eyewitnesses said that they saw a dead body lying near Tumchi Nowpora. Later, a police squad arrived, seized the body, and claimed that resistance fighters were responsible for the murder.

The locals call it the ‘dirty job’ of the Indian agencies as non-locals have been recently spotted and, in some cases, arrested, carrying arms and ammunition. Notably, after Article 370 was repealed in 2019, there has been a killing spree in Kashmir by ‘unidentified gunmen.’ To malign the armed resistance in Kashmir, Indian agencies blame the resistance fighters for carrying out these killings, even before the investigation into the case starts.

Indian Police arrests four civilians in Baramulla

In the Baramulla district of north Kashmir’s Dangarpora region, two civilians were taken into custody on Tuesday by police and the Indian army. Ghulam Hassan Mir, son of Ghulam Rasool Mir, and Mukhtar Ahmad Khan, son of Mohammad Afzal Khan, both of Chandoosa Baramulla, have been named among the detained civilians accused of being “militant associates” and providing weapons and ammunition to the resistance organizations.

The police detained two other civilians on Wednesday: Farooq Ahmad Naqeeb, son of Abdul Gaffar Naqeeb, who lives in Kunzar, and Altaf Ahmad Rather, son of Ab Ahad Rather, who resides in Kawhar.

Indian agencies, along with the army, have arrested hundreds of innocent Kashmiris under fake labels and are currently being held in different jails in India under inhuman conditions.