Sumit Sharma
Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir started in the year 1989. Although, poor governance and failure of state machinery lay at the root of the Initial disaffection, Pakistan more than played its part in converting the latter into a full-fledged Insurgency. Some terrorist groups in Kashmir supported complete Independence, whereas others were seeking accession to Pakistan. ISI has been continuously supporting, supplying arms and training terroristto operate in Jammu and Kashmir. In 2015, former president of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf admitted that Pakistan had supported and trained terroristin the 1990s to be infiltrated into the valley. Since the beginning of terrorism more than 50,000 people have lost their lives which includes Security personnel, civilians and terrorists. The terror violence caused extensive damage to private and public property, with large number of people, particularly minority Hindus, being forced to migrate from the valley. Even foreign tourists were not spared, Terrorist posed a serious threat to Aviation Security as they resorted to hijacking. Terroristshowed total disregard even for the lives of civilians. Even the attacks on vital installation have continued unabated. In addition, grass root political workers have also continuously been targeted by the terrorists.
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If you destroy Schools, you destroy Sanity. If you blow up bridges, you demolish the bridges of amity and fraternity. This is what terroristhave done in Jammu and Kashmir since 1990s. The gun and grenade crazy terroristset ablaze and blew up more than 700 school buildings and 350 bridges during last 30 years. They believed that by destroying the government buildings they would secure an overthrow of the state administration and hence have destroyed 1150 government buildings till date. The dance of arson and destruction was not confined to the Government property only. Those civilians who had toiled and spent there last penny in building houses were targeted. Terroristdestroyed house and shops of the people belonging to both the majority and the minority communities. In early 1990s they went on a rampage and destroyed more than 5000 houses, shops and other civilians’ structures. Terroristhave carried out frequent attacks on Security Forces convoys and their camps. They have carried out many Fidayeen attacks which resulted into killing of Security personnel and also involved in lobbying grenade. Many attacks had been carried out on convoys, security camps and pickets. Six western tourists were kidnapped by the terroristfrom the ladderway area of Pahalgam in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on 04 July 1995. The Six victims included two British tourists, two Americans, a German and a Norwegian. One victim managed to escape and rest all five of them were brutally killed by terrorists.
Singapore Massacre. Terroristin the year 1997 killed seven Kashmiri Hindu Villagers in Singapore village of Budgam district. This was the first of series of massacres which selectively targeted minorities in Jammu and Kashmir. The victims were led away, lined up and then shot by terroristWandhama Massacre. Terroriston 25 January 1998 killed 26 Kashmiri Hindus in the town of Windham (Small town near Sandbian). Several Gunmen belonging to HM killed 26 people which included four children and nine women. Chittisinghpura Massacre This massacre refers to the mass murder of 35 Villagers of the Sikh community that was carried out on 20 marches 2000 in Anantnag district. Wearing Indian army fatigues, the killers arrived the village in two groups at separate ends of the village where two Gurudwaras were located, where the villagers had been celebrating the hole mahalla festival. They ordered them to line up in front of the Gurudwara and opened fire, killing thirty-five people. The massacre was a turning point in the terrorism in Kashmir, where Sikhs had usually been spared from terrorist violence, five days later Indian army killed all the terroristinvolved in this heinous crime. Amarnath Pilgrimage Massacre. In one of the most brutal attacks in the history, terrorist killed at least 89 people and injured 62 people in five different coordinated attacks in Anantnag and Doda district. 32 people were killed on 2 August 2000 at Nuwan base camp in Paha gam, dead included 21 Hindu Pilgrims, 8 local Muslim shopkeepers and 3 security officers. The pilgrims were on their way to Amarnath caves shrine, many of those killed were local Bakar Wal Gujar Muslim men and porters hired to ferry the pilgrims. Recent Targeted Killing of Civilians. Pakistan supported terroristcarried out a series of attacks in the first week of October 2021 in which Kashmiris belonging to minority communities and non-locals were targeted. The targets included a 70 years old Srinagar based Kashmiri Pandit, a non-local street vendor, a school principal and teacher from minority community to name a few.
The Situation in J&K over the last few years has improved considerably thus symbolizing a return to normalcy. Intense operations conducted by security forces have resulted in a stable situation that is conducive to undertaking developmental activities by the local government machinery. The terroristhave suffered heavy attrition (particularly the apex leadership) and simultaneously have not been able to replenish their dwindling cadres due to the effectiveness of the counter infiltration measures. This has led to a sharp decline in the violence inflicted by terrorists. However regular incidents of HR violations and terror acts by the terroristoperating in the valley still remains a major cause of concern and needs to be exposed at international arena.
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