By Siddhant Mohan and Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
Srinagar: A week after the death of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani, Kashmir valley continues to remain tense and far from normal, with the death toll rising to 41 along with thousands injured. On Friday morning, security forces announced a shoot on sight order across the valley, following separatists’ calls for protests after the Friday prayers.
Moreover, after clamping down on mobile internet and Facebook accounts that did not agree with the Indian actions in the region, the government has also cut off broadband lines since Thursday evening. In fact, save BSNL, even phone connectivity has suffered extensively in the region, leading to a mass breakdown in communication lines. Valley-based newspapers and websites are currently facing major issues in posting news on their sites as a result of failure of communication lines.
On Friday morning, ‘Rakshak’ vans were seen announcing the warning of Shoot at Sight. Citizen from Chenab valley area, particularly Doda, Kishtwar and Bhaderwah, have also called for shutdown.
The imams of mosques of Chenab valley have appealed to the government to stop atrocities on citizens. They also called for international organizations to look into the matter of Kashmir and intervene at the earliest. More importantly, even areas considered peaceful hitherto, like the Chenab valley, saw protesters raising ‘Azadi’ slogans today.
Bilal Bisharat Bhat, a journalist based in downtown Srinagar, said over the phone, “Security forces knew the importance of Friday for the Kashmiri people. We heard police announcing the Shoot at Sight order when we were indoors.” After the order came into effect, tension in the state has only risen, said Bhat. “It was Friday and there was no prayer in Srinagar Jama Masjid,” he added.
There were also reports of defiance of the Shoot at Sight orders in certain places, with citizens at Hawal, Bemina and HMT defying the order but there has been no report of shooting, till now.
Hilal Ahmad War, senior Hurriyat leader in the valley showed no surprise over the order. War, who is currently under house arrest, told Twocircles.net, “There has always been shoot at sight order in Kashmir since AFSPA was imposed. Just this time they have announced it. Kashmir is not a normal state. People can’t go to mosques freely and do their processions. Every day, someone gets killed.”
He also said, “This all could have been avoided if security forces would have just arrested Wani. But they killed him in cold blood when he was unarmed. Doing this, they disobeyed the Indian as well as International guidelines.”
Valley residents are also angry at the current state of affairs in the state. Imtiyaz Chesti from Srinagar said, “We feel like people are waiting to see us dead. We feel like we are meant to be eaten.”
Commenting against the rightwing campaigns against Kashmiris in the recent turmoil, Chesti said, “Media could have performed its role, but it didn’t. Media is rubbing salt on our wounds thus making condition worse for us.