ISLAMABAD: Eleven days after Indian authorities began detaining hundreds oflocal leaders and activists in Kashmir, fearing violence after the region’sspecial status was withdrawn, it is unclear in many cases where they are orwhy they were taken away.
“We don’t know where he is and what the charges are. We heard he has beenshifted outside Kashmir,” Fareeda told Reuters about his husband, who wasarrested in Pulwama on August 4.
The 45-year-old Shameem Ahmad Ganai was arrested a day before PrimeMinister Narendra Modi’s government scrapped provisions granting specialstatus to Kashmir.
Fareeda said she went to find her husband the next morning at the localpolice station in Kakapora, but he was no longer there. “We don’t knowwhere he is and what the charges are,” she told Reuters. “We heard he hasbeen shifted outside Kashmir.”
Last week, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh toldReuters that around 300 people had been arrested, some of whom had beentaken out of the state.
But a government official, who declined to be named, said at least 500local leaders and activists have been arrested or detained across Kashmirsince the beginning of last week.
In the latest detention, Shah Faesal, a celebrated bureaucrat turnedpolitician, was picked up on Wednesday, said an official of Indiangovernment. Earlier in the week, he had told the BBC’s HARDtalk that Modi’sgovernment had “murdered” democracy.
Ganai, a meat shop owne, was previously arrested in 2016 on charges ofstone-pelting, attacking security forces with rods, and damaging governmentproperty. His family said he had taken part in widespread protests afterthe death of a popular militant leader.
“He was released after three months but never indulged in any protestssince then. I don’t know what his fault was this time,” Fareeda said.
Pulwama, their home district, is part of south Kashmir, the hotbed of anarmed insurgency against the government that has raged on for nearly 30years, killing some 50,000 people.
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Reuters mentioned that it was also the site of a suicide bombing inFebruary that killed 40 Indian paramilitary troops, which was claimed by aPakistan-based militant group, and brought both nuclear-armed neighbours tothe brink of another war.
A mile away from Fareeda is the home of Irfan Ahmad Hurra, a 28-year-oldman who teaches the Quran at a religious seminary. Weeping bitterly, hismother Jameela said her son, who was ill and on medication, was arrested onAug. 5.
“I don’t know what his fault was. We don’t know where he is,” she said. “Wedon’t know the charges.” Hurra, too, had been previously arrested oncharges of fomenting trouble, leading protesters and damaging property, hisfamily said.
At a media briefing on Wednesday, Jammu and Kashmir’s Additional DirectorGeneral of Police Munir Khan told reporters that some individuals had beendetained as a preventive measure, while others were arrested in existingcases or under the Public Safety Act, which allows for detention withouttrial.
“Some people may have also been released,” Khan said, without providing anydetails on the number of individuals currently detained.
India’s home ministry referred queries from Reuters on the number ofdetentions and details of cases to the Jammu and Kashmir government, whichdid not immediately respond. Political leaders and officials have warnedof a severe backlash against the Modi government’s move, with localresentment amplified after authorities imposed severe movement restrictionsin the Kashmir Valley and severed all public telecommunications links,including mobile phones and internet.
The communication blackout has now entered its eleventh day, the Reutersconcluded its report with a touch of reminder about the persistentsituation in the valley. -APP
