In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops in their unabated acts of state terrorism martyred 13 Kashmiris including a young boy during the last month.
According to the data issued by the Research Section of Kashmir Media Service, today (Wednesday) these killings rendered one woman widowed and two children orphaned. During the month, 132 people were critically injured due to the firing of pellets, bullets and teargas shells by the Indian police and paramilitary personnel on peaceful demonstrators in the occupied territory. At least 182 civilians, mostly youth and Hurriyat leaders and activists, were arrested and several of them were booked under draconian Public Safety Act. The troops molested six women and damaged 20 houses during the period.
Meanwhile, Indian police and troops continuing their massive crackdown arrested at least nineteen more persons during raids in Gudoora, Newa and Parigam areas of Pulwama district last night. These arrests come just days ahead of the so-called Indian parliamentary elections in Pulwama and Shopian districts to be held on 6th of this month. The Jammu and Kashmir Salvation Movement in a statement in Srinagar strongly denounced the fresh arrest spree in by the occupation forces in South Kashmir.
All Parties Hurriyat Conference Chairman, Syed Ali Gilani, was discharged from Soura Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar, today, after his health condition improved.
On the other hand, a report published by an international news agency says Indian soldiers are using civilians as human shields during cordon and search operations in occupied Kashmir.
The report said that hundreds of Indian soldiers descended on the scenic village of Pinglan in Pulwama district of occupied Kashmir on February 17.
The report said Indian soldiers left 18 hours later, four Kashmiries martyred, a row of houses was reduced to rubble, an unexploded missile had been planted in a rice field, and more than 120 villagers had sought treatment for exposure to teargas, beatings, and in some cases mental trauma.
The report said representative of the news organisation spent two days in Pinglan and interviews with more than 60 eyewitnesses indicate that soldiers forced villagers to act as human shields.