The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Police on Friday said there has been a constant decrease in violence and killings of civilians following the nullification of the Constitution’s Article 370 even as former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti slammed the government saying the changes to the region’s constitutional status has cost them heavily.
J&K was stripped of its semi-autonomous status on August 5, 2019, through the nullification. The region was also divided into two Union Territories three years back and hundreds of people, including Mufti, were detained to prevent protests over the changes.
The J&K Police released data on the third anniversary of the nullification and said 3,686 incidents of “law and order” took place in Kashmir from August 5, 2016, to August 4, 2019. Six security personnel were among those who lost their lives in these incidents. The police said that 438 “law and order” incidents were reported in Kashmir Valley after the nullification without any loss of lives of security force personnel.
They added around 930 terror incidents were reported in Kashmir from August 2016 to 2019, which came down to 617 over the next three years. In the same period, 290 security force personnel were killed in terrorist attacks compared to 174 over the next three years.
From 2016 to 2019, police said 191 civilians were killed in Kashmir. Police said 110 civilians have been killed since the nullification of Article 370.
A police officer said the data shows how things have improved in Kashmir. “The figures reflect everything but still the forces should remain alert as terrorists still have a presence here.”
Mufti held a protest outside her party office in Srinagar after she was prevented from leading a procession against the revocation of J&K’s semi-autonomous status. Dozens of her supporters joined her and raised slogans against revocation, arrests, and killings. Mufti also sought the resolution of the Kashmir issue and the release of prisoners
“We planned to march on the third anniversary of the abrogation of Constitution’s Article 370 to Lal Chowk [in central Srinagar]. Police did not allow us to move beyond our office,” said Mohit Bhan, a spokesman for Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
In a series of tweets, Mufti attacked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “As BJPs malicious designs for J&K have unravelled, the pattern of suppression & fear is now knocking at the door in rest of the country too. Weaponising their pet agencies & using terror laws to stifle dissent has become the norm.”
She accused the government of trampling upon democracy by subverting every pillar that supported it. “BJP’s so-called integration of J&K which never happened has cost us heavily.” She added J&K has slipped on the development indices and unemployment and inflation are at an all-time high.
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said that they will continue their peaceful struggle using all legal and constitutional means to challenge the changes to J&K’s status. “The road ahead may be a long one, full of twists & turns but it’s not one @JKNC_will abandon.”
Additional director general of police (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar, who visited parts of Srinagar on Friday along with top officers, said markets were open and called it a great achievement for the people. “Strike calls by [separatist] Hurriyat [Conference] are not being given now. No stone pelting incidents are taking place at the encounter sites and no large gatherings at terrorist funerals and that have created a very good environment here.”