SRINAGAR: A report released by the Research Section of Kashmir Media Service on Tuesday revealed that 1,030 Kashmiris, including 21 women and 44 children, have been martyred since India revoked Articles 370 and 35A on August 5, 2019.
This move by the Indian government, which stripped Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) of its special status, led to an escalation of military repression and human rights violations in the region.
According to the report, the killings of these 1,030 individuals include 274 who died in fake encounters or under police custody, among them senior leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), such as Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Altaf Ahmed Shah, and Ghulam Muhammad Butt. The report also highlighted that at least 2,551 people were critically injured due to the excessive use of force by Indian security forces, which included bullet, pellet, and teargas fire on peaceful protestors and mourners.
The report stressed that India’s brutal actions since the revocation of Kashmir’s special status in 2019 have surpassed the atrocities committed in earlier years, including those recorded in 2011, 2012, and 2013.
It further detailed that many of the young victims were arrested from their homes and later killed under the false charge of being resistance fighters. Thousands of Kashmiris have been detained under draconian laws such as the Public Safety Act (PSA) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Additionally, the report stated that over 1,165 houses and properties were destroyed, and 137 women were molested by Indian forces. The total number of arrests has crossed 29,565, including women and children, in 22,385 cordon and search operations. This has created a terrifying atmosphere of fear, with Kashmir now resembling an open-air prison, the report added.
The report condemned India’s continuing attempts to alter the Muslim-majority demographic of Kashmir. It emphasized that the recent moves by the Indian government, including granting domicile certificates to non-Kashmiris and promoting Hindi and Sanskrit at the cost of local languages, are part of a broader strategy to erase the region’s Muslim identity.
Moreover, the government’s heavy-handed tactics include the dismissal of over a hundred local employees based on fabricated charges, while favoring non-Kashmiris in employment opportunities. This has deepened the sense of alienation among the local Muslim population.
Despite these severe actions, the report reaffirmed that the people of IIOJK remain resilient in their struggle for self-determination. It stressed that the brutality of the Indian forces has failed to suppress their desire for freedom.
The report concluded with a call for India to be held accountable for its crimes against humanity in IIOJK. It urged the international community to recognize the ongoing human rights violations and press India to resolve the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
