Bilal Bashir Bhat
Srinagar, May 27 (Only Kashmir): Even in the holy month of Ramadan, the wheel of conflict-related deaths remained continuously spinning as such claiming some 44 precious lives which included 24 militants, 13 personnel of government forces and 7 civilians.
Amid the Corona Virus lockdown in Kashmir during the month of Ramadan, the death graph due to the conflict remained surging thus taking the total tally to as many as 44 precious lives, excluding the causalities on borders/Loc.
On second Ramadan, four Militants were killed in Guddar area of Kulgam South Kashmir, followed by two militants in Lower Munda South of Kashmir on 3rd Ramadan.
Death cycle seems unstoppable in Kashmir, with three more militants were killed in Shopian area of South Kashmir taking the toll to 11 in first four days of Ramadan.
Three days of silence and in between the mourning in 11 families, on 2 May, eighth day of Ramadan 4 militants were killed in South and North regions of Kashmir in two separate encounters during which 5 government personnel also fell to the bullets of including some top officials.
On 4th May 10th Day of Ramadan, three CRPF personnel and a civilian were killed in Handwara area of Kupwara district.
12th Ramadan, 6th May, Kashmir woke up to the news that Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naiko has been killed in an encounter in Beighpora, Awantipora, dist Pulwama South of Kashmir along with his aide. On the same day two more militants were killed in Sarshali, South Kashmir taking the toll of total militants killed on that day to four. The killing of Naikoo triggered the administration to bar low speed Mobile internet, apart from calling services in whole Kashmir Valley. The internet was later restored after 6 days on 11th May.
On 8th May 14th Ramadan, at least one civilian was killed and more than two dozen were wounded after government forces opened fire and used pellet guns and teargas shells to quell protests in Baighpora and adjoining villages. 13th May, 19th of Ramadan, a civilian was killed after a Central Reserve Police Force personnel fired at him near Narbal in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district on Wednesday morning, citing the reasons “his car sped past security checkpoints.”
16th May, 22nd Ramadan, a police man was killed in Kulgam area of South Kashmir. On next day one militant and a government forces personnel lost lives in an encounter in Doda.
On 19th May, 25th Ramadan we woke up to the news that encounter between militants and government forces has begin in Srinagar city at Kanimazar Nawa Kadal area. This encounter in Srinagar comes after almost 2 years. As the news came into light, the voice calling as well as mobile internet except BSNL was again barred in district Srinagar for the second time in the month.
The encounter ended in the killing of two militants including Junaid Sehraie, one of the commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. The encounter left some 15 houses damaged, some six persons received injuries after a wall collapsed post-encounter.
On the next day of the encounter, 20th May, 26th Ramadan, (also marks the Shab-e-Qadar) two BSF men were killed in Ganderbal area of Jammu and Kashmir after militant attack on a patrolling party. In the meantime one 12-year-old boy of Karanagar who was injured in encounter site at Nawa Kadal succumbed to injuries.
On 21st May, 27th Ramadan, the Human blood continues to spill on third consecutive day in Kashmir, with one policeman killed in an attack by the militants in Pulwama. The weeping pictures of children of deceased policeman went viral on Social Media triggering widespread condemnations.
On 24th May, Eid-ul-Fitr also called the “Festival of Breaking the Fast” two more persons succumbed to their injuries in encounter site at Nawa Kadal.
There are many more stories full of pain and agony in Kashmir, which happened during the above mentioned period of just 30 days, including those of who were injured in Nowhatta and Budgam grenade attacks, those of who sustained deadly pellet injuries in countless protests, the question is how much more time will take the ruling regimes to realize that tangible and courageous steps needed to take for the long-lasting peace in Kashmir.
The statistics and dates are based in the feed maintained by the team Onlykashmir[dot]in monitoring desk.
