Kashmir Erupts Against Civilian Killings, Army’s OGW Claim Refuted

The killing of six Kashmiris, of which four were civilians, on night of Sunday 4th March, in South Kashmir’s Pahnoo area of Shopian District has sent shockwaves across the valley, resulting in massive protests against the murder. The slain included, according to police, four civilians and also two militants of the Lashkar e Toiba outfit.

The army is being accused of killing innocent civilians in the area, where three civilians were allegedly killed in army firing earlier in January, resulting in massive backlash against the government forces. Incidentally, the Supreme Court on Monday 5th March, stayed the investigation on the alleged killings against Major Aditya Kumar, the officer leading the soldiers during the incident.

Soon after the Sunday firing incident, the army spokesperson claimed that a Mobile Vehicle Check Post (MVCP), in Shopian was fired upon by militants at about 8 pm from a vehicle, during which one militant was killed. The Army also claimed they also killed over ground workers (OGW/accomplices).

The civilians were identified as Suhail Ahmad of Pinjora, M Shahid Khan of Kilopora Malikgund and Shahnawaz Ahmad Wagay of Molu Trenz villages. The slain militant was identified as Lashkar’s Shahid Ahmad Dar.

Earlier on Monday, the police claimed they recovered the body of another militant, identified as Lashkar’s Ashiq Hussain Bhat, and another civilian, Gowhar Ahmad Lone of Chitragam, Shopian.

“The preliminary investigation suggests the death of the said militant a part of the chain of incident at Pahnoo Shopian,” the police spokesperson said.

The army is being castigated for justifying the alleged killings by terming the slain civilians as OGWs.

The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) in Kashmir that comprises of two factions of Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Syed Ali Geelani and Yasin Malik led Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) called for a strike against the killings, terming them ‘barbaric’.

The incident was also condemned by the mainstream political parties including ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and opposition party National Conference (NC). The leaders of both the parties and claimed that the killings can be justified under no circumstances.

Terming the killings as ‘reckless’, PDP’s MLA for Shopian. Mohd Yousuf Bhat said that the law enforcing agencies are not learning any lessons from previous such experiences.

Notwithstanding the claim made by the Army of eliminating OGWs, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said they were civilians caught in the “crossfire”. The OGW claim was also refuted by National Conference (NC). Demanding a probe in the incident, NC’s official spokesperson said, “The Shopian killings cannot be justified with an arbitrary, unproven pronouncement of the youth being OGWs. The circumstances and details should be probed and made public by the State Govt.”

On the strike call by JRL, all schools, government offices and business establishments are observing a shutdown to protest against the killings and people in several areas have come out to hold demonstration, resulting in clashes between locals and government forces in many of these areas. The authorities have also imposed restrictions in the old city area in Srinagar under the jurisdiction of five police stations to thwart the spread of protests in these areas.

The mobile internet services have been shut across South Kashmir while high-speed internet has been stopped across the valley.

The whole of South Kashmir, which includes Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag districts, has emerged as one of the most volatile areas after 2016 year-long protests. Following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen’s militant commander Burhan Wani, hundreds of youth have joined militant ranks from these four districts. In year 2017, more than 200 militants were killed; a majority of them were locals of South Kashmir.

The situation in the state reached a tipping point after a 8 year old nomadic Bakerwal girl was abducted, raped, tortured and then murdered in the Kathua district of the state. The ruling BJP has been accused of shielding and coming out in support of the prime accused in the case.