Sitting out in the cold freezing night in Kashmir, grief hangs thick in the air as families of civilians were killed in cold blooded murder by security forces and they were out on street, just asking for bodies to be returned. In answer, they got arrested!
The two were among four killed in Hyderpora ‘encounter’ on Monday evening were buried at a far-off hillock in Handwara. Security forces refused to hand over their bodies citing law and order problems.
The calls for justice were rising higher with emotions pouring out in intensified outrage after they were gunned down in Hyderpora in an alleged fake encounter and as protestors sit out in the freezing night, grieving and calling for justice, the police arrested family members of Mudasir Gull and Altaf Ahmad Bhat from press enclave Srinagar. Of course, the simple rights to even carry out a peaceful protest are being taken away from Kashmiris. Presently, India ranks 142 out of 180 countries for the freedom of Press. Can one even dare to say “democracy”. I mean, we are talking about peaceful protests. Of note, no Press or Media is covering this news and if so, very skimpily, and I ask myself, what have we become?
Last night, November 17, 2021, when the family and friends were out in the cold night calling for justice, the police came over to the spot and took them away. The elder brother of slain Altaf Bhat asked the police to shoot him because he was so distraught. It has come to that.
The person asking the police to shoot him is Altaf Bhat's eldest brother Abdul Majid Bhat. He is 62. https://t.co/MLUj0BCm3K — Naveed Iqbal (@NaveedIqbal) November 17, 2021
Voices are being muffled and the family members alleged that electricity was cut off ahead of the police action against the protesters. In a video, the protesters, who were sitting in freezing temperature near candles at the Press Enclave were seen being dragged and shoved into police vehicles.
Saima Bhat, a scribe whose uncle Mohammad Altaf Bhat was killed said, “I have worked in Press Enclave for last 11 years and never has electricity been snapped for such a long time. We are demanding the least.”
She said the family members had met the top civil and police officer in Srinagar on Tuesday. “They had expressed solidarity with us and assured the bodies will be given back. But they are yet to approach us. We saw no official visiting us at the protest site during the day,” she said.
What Led To the Tragedies
The police earlier had stated that two militants, a civilian, a businessman identified as Mohammad Altaf Bhat, and a dental surgeon, Mudasir Gul were killed during an operation in Hyderpora in Srinagar where the two militants were hiding in a shopping mall owned by the businessman Mohammad Altaf Bhat, who owned cement and iron businesses. The police haven’t yet identified the two militants killed in the encounter and took possession of the three bodies.
Altaf Bhat is survived by his wife and two daughters and a son. The daughter said, “My chachu (uncle) got a call around 10 am and he started crying, I was at home, then, I heard sounds of shouting and screaming…I ran to the spot, praying to Allah.” She said that her cousin who is a witness- told her that her father was picked up thrice – twice he was released. And the third time he was killed. What is the meaning of this? Other witnesses were also killed – what is this? she asks. When she asked the security forces why they killed her father and how they could think he was this, they laughed at her on her face.
She also speaks about the son of the second businessman killed that day. “My brother is in his class. He is very young. What do we tell him? He is very close to his father. I am attached to my father. Now, what will I do? How do I take care of my mother? She is not eating. She is crying. What do I do?”
How do we look ourselves in the eye as a civilisation ? Via @basiitzargar #KashmirBleeds pic.twitter.com/8fazYuqO9h — Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) November 17, 2021
Earlier the nience Saima Bhat cried out, “You killed my innocent uncle Mohammad Altaf Bhat in cold-blooded murder In Hyderpora, you used him as a human shield and now saying he was ‘OGW’. Return us his body @JmuKmrPolice @SrinagarPolice @IGP,” tweeted Saima Bhat, the businessman’s niece.
The family members of civilian Mohammad Altaf Bhat described by police in Jammu and Kashmir as a “militant associate” who was killed during an encounter with two “militants” on Monday night, alleged that he was used as a “human shield” by the security forces.
The dental surgeon, Mudasir Gul, was killed in the firing in Kashmir taking the death toll to four after he was shifted to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, reports said. He is survived by his family and in a heartbreaking video, his toddler daughter is crying and weeping wife with cries of the people around her asking for justice, the atmosphere is electrifying.
‘My toddler daughter cries for her father, return his body’: Families of civilians, killed in Srinagar, protest, reports @umeerasif pic.twitter.com/0q8XcNVbQC — The Kashmir Walla (@tkwmag) November 17, 2021
We saw it all.💔💔#KashmirBleeds pic.twitter.com/UkCxFod8Kd — Muhammad Azka Bhat (@bhat_azka) November 16, 2021
Political leaders including former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti have raised questions over the encounter in Srinagar. and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded a speedy investigation into Bhat’s death. However, she was blocked from visiting the brokenhearted family.
On her return from Jammu PDP President @MehboobaMufti was on way to press colony to console with the family & participate in the protest, but police blocked the route & did not allow her to move towards protest site. Is demanding the dead body of civilians a crime now? https://t.co/GCq9L96XVQ — J&K PDP (@jkpdp) November 17, 2021
“These allegations are grave and merit speedy investigation. Least@JmuKmrPolice could do is hand over the dead body to the family for a decent burial. Are even dead ones a threat to peace now?” the PDP tweeted.
Today, on Wednesday, Mehbooba Mufti made attempts to console the family and participate in the protests but was blocked by the security troops.
On her return from Jammu PDP President @MehboobaMufti was on way to press colony to console with the family & participate in the protest, but police blocked the route & did not allow her to move towards protest site. Is demanding the dead body of civilians a crime now?
National Conference leaders Salman Sagar and Imran Dar visited the protest site in the evening, demanded “immediate handing over of the bodies to the families”.
On her return from Jammu PDP President @MehboobaMufti was on way to press colony to console with the family & participate in the protest, but police blocked the route & did not allow her to move towards protest site. Is demanding the dead body of civilians a crime now? https://t.co/GCq9L96XVQ — J&K PDP (@jkpdp) November 17, 2021
This daughter will not get justice under the brutal rule of @narendramodi she is only demanding to return back the dead body of her father who was not a militant,he was only a shop keeper. He was a Kashmiri Muslim and that is a big crime theses days in India . #KashmirBleeds https://t.co/DJdz1yISAf — Hamid Mir (@HamidMirPAK) November 16, 2021
This unfortunate father warned us before. #KashmirBleeds #Kashmirilivesmatter#Kashmirpic.twitter.com/SIX3GUxZeT — Aqib Shah (@pzaqib) November 16, 2021
"With my teary eyes, I asked why have you kil!ed my father and the Indian soldiers started laughing" – 13 y/o Daughter of Kashmiri civilian altaf bhat who was shot dead by indian paramilitary last night. …….#KashmirBleeds #kashmir #KashmiriLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/itdYL81flz — Ahmed Khabeer احمد خبیر (@AhmedKhabeer_) November 16, 2021
The shared pictures and videos tell us of the sad sequence of events that took place from Sunday night, events which have not stopped, and today emotions are triggered due to the insensitivity of the whole handling of the situation as well as the security forces not handing over the bodies to the families where burials occurred over 70 kilometers away from the family.
When Article 370 was revoked, the Government of India had stated it would bring peace in the region; however, not only are attacks increasing but civilians are no longer safe in the sanctity of their homes.
The slaying of civilians by allegedly using them as human shields, not handing their bodies over to their families, labeling them as terrorists or OGW, and disabling their family from performing their ceremonial last rites depriving loved ones of closure has intensified the pain of the grieving and sparked rage across the Valley.
The recent spree of the death of migrant workers and Kashmiri civilians has also shaken the Valley and in these tragic incidents, children are also being orphaned, losing their parents in these gruesome incidents of firing. On the other side, the mocking laughter of the security forces on the face of a daughter who lost her father will haunt Kashmiris forever.
Of note, 25 Kashmiris have been killed in search operations and alleged fake encounters since October 1, 2021. The fresh recent killings provoked protests against the government in different areas in Kashmir. Some Kashmiris claim that the troops are killing civilians under a new policy devised by Home Minister Amit Shah during his latest visit to Kashmir recently. In a strange way, the presence of Amit Shah and his aftermath effects do trigger mayhem on many occasions in different States.
The All Parties Hurriyat Conference state that the security forces are waging a war against innocent Kashmiris, especially after Amit Shah’s visit, systematically carrying out genocide, using Kashmiris as human shields, and then casually labeling them as over ground workers which is now part of Prime Minister Modi’s rule book, they say. Civilians are being dragged out and attacked mercilessly, labeled falsely as terrorists and they have no law or courts to defend them.
The world is silently watching a weeping Kashmir where simple civilians lives are taken off, family members not given closure, and if they stage a peaceful protest, are arrested and this clearly reveals human rights violations. It is easy to say, “This is Kashmir, there are terrorists there, we have to arrest them! Unfortunately, those in authority often misuse their powers by labeling any suspects as terrorists with no proof and this needs to be called out by the Supreme Court, but the courts are silent. Kashmiris now say that they don’t expect justice, it will not come, just give back the bodies so that they can have final closure.
The names Jihadi, Pakistani, Talibani, and other names spew out so easily from BJP leaders and supporters without a second thought. While the government may pride itself at its “strong hand” and revel in its high handedness in “dealing with Kashmir” they forget that they are dealing with raw emotions of people which never die in time.
After the Partition of India, during October–November 1947 in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, many Muslims were massacred and others driven away to West Punjab where the massacres were executed by extremist Hindus and Sikhs bolstered by the army of Maharaja Hari Singh.
Of note, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) played a key role in planning and executing the riots.An estimated 20,000–100,000 Muslims were massacred. Also, many non-Muslims, estimated as over 20,000, were massacred by Pakistani tribesmen and soldiers, in the Mirpur region of today’s Pakistani administered Kashmir. Many Hindus and Sikhs were also massacred in the Rajouri area of Jammu division.
The chilling moments of the recent killings surged high when the 13-year-old daughter weeping asks the security forces why they killed her father and they answer her back with mocking laughter. Harsh, stringent acts by the Government is opening deep wounds and stirring up more troubles in an already very sensitized zone. Kashmir is a territory which is still reeling from the shocks of massacres and to inflict draconian laws and tie them up without giving them a chance to heal is criminal, to say the least!
Rita
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