India launches biggest crackdown in occupied Kashmir

Around 7,000 people have been arrested since the killing of Kashmiri leader Burhan Wani

It has been 90 days since the recent spate of resistance movement in Indian occupied Kashmir started following the death of Kashmiri rebel leader Burhan Wani.

Although the puppet government of the valley has not been able to contain the protesters, it has launched the biggest crackdown that the restive Himalayan region has witnessed in last two decades.

Since Wani was killed in a joint operation by the Indian forces on July 8, Indian police have arrested around 7,000 people in the valley while more than 450 people have been booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA), the highest number-ever in occupied Kashmir.



Quoting sources in Jammu and Kashmir police, Indian news site The India Express reported that beside these figures, 1,500 others are also under detention in different police stations across Kashmir without any charges. Further, these arrests are not reflected in the official records.

According to an official, the protests are more intense in southern part of Kashmir as Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama are the epicenter of recent uprising where more than 1,821 civilians have been arrested and over 500 are detained under preventive detention.

While in central part of occupied Kashmir, police have arrested around 1,700 and placed over 350 people under preventive detention in Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal districts. The number of arrests and preventive detentions in held Kashmir’s three northern districts are more than 1,300.



Highest numbers of arrests have been carried out in Srinagar, where over a thousand Kashmiris have been apprehended and 129 been put under preventive detention, followed by Pulwama district with over 700 civilians arrest and around 150 under preventive detention.

Despite all these measures, the occupied forces have not been able to control the situation.

Earlier today, Srinagar came under curfew again after thousands clashed with government forces during the funeral of Junaid Ahmad, 12, killed in protests, police said.



Police and paramilitary troops fired tear gas, pellets and live rounds into the air to disperse the funeral procession of the 12-year-old as his body was carried to Srinagar’s “Martyr’s Graveyard”, a police officer told AFP on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media.

Residents said the boy was sprayed with pellets in the lawn outside his home, but police say he was part of anti-India protests that took place on Friday.

“We are taking all possible measures so that the protests don’t spread to other areas,” the officer said, referring to the curfew.

The angry mourners were shouting “We want freedom” and “Go Indian, go back” during the procession.

More than 50 people were injured during the Friday’s protests in the restive Himalayan region, which has been roiled by deadly violence for nearly four months.

This article originally appeared on The Indian Express