Unabated civilian killings belie govt’s normalcy narrative in Kashmir

The unabated killing of civilians in Kashmir by militants has dented the Central government’s 'normalcy narrative' after the revocation of special status of the erstwhile state under Article 370 in August 2019.

Seven civilians have been shot dead by the militants in the last five days alone. Overall, 28 civilians have been gunned down this year in the Valley. 20 security personnel also lost their lives in the line of duty in Kashmir during the same period.

Last year, 33 civilians and 46 security forces personnel were killed in Kashmir while in 2019 36 civilians and 78 security personnel died.

Read | Two teachers shot dead by terrorists in Srinagar

What is worrisome is that the latest attacks are coming at a time when security in the Valley is already on high alert as a battery of Union ministers are visiting Jammu and Kashmir as part of the Centre’s outreach programme. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to visit Kashmir from October 23 to 25.

While the 20 slain civilians belonged to a majoritarian community, eight were from the minority community. Capital city Srinagar witnessed 12 civilian killings followed by six from south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, five from Pulwama district, two each from Baramulla and Anantnag and one each from Budgam and Bandipora.

A police spokesperson said in all such cases militants used pistols. “These acts are committed by newly recruited terrorists or those who are about to join terrorist’s rank. In some cases, over ground workers (OGWs) have been found directly involved,” he said.

The Resistance Front (TRF), believed to be the frontal organization of Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit, has claimed responsibility for most of the civilian killings this year.

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After killing three civilians, including a prominent Kashmiri Pandit businessman Makhan Lal Bindroo, on Tuesday, TRF in a purported statement claimed the trio was killed for working with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological fountainhead of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and intelligence agencies.

However, J&K police chief Dilbagh Singh while rejecting these allegations said, “It's a malicious propaganda by TRF that Bindroo was working with the RSS. TRF is run from Karachi and we will soon expose this nexus from across (the border).”

Regional PDP president and former chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti punctured the “normalcy claims” of BJP in Kashmir and tweeted, “Disturbing to see the deteriorating situation in Kashmir where a minuscule minority is the latest target. GOI’s claims of building a Naya Kashmir has actually turned it into a hellhole. It’s sole interest is to use Kashmir as a milch cow for its electoral interests (sic).”