Kishtwar, Clashes and Curfew

Trouble-torn Kishtwar: Not all prayers got answered 

Day curfew was lifted from the trouble-torn Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir after 13 days of prolonged restrictions. The communal violence broke out on the festival of Eid bringing massive destruction to life and property. Clashes broke out soon after the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers on August 9 in Eidgah area of old city where around one lakh people offered prayers. Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Omar Farooq was going to address the gathering but he was kept inside his residence and was not allowed to offer prayers. Soon after the prayers, a large group of people carried out a protest march and pelted stones on the police who were deployed in full strength in the Eidgah area. Incidents of arson, looting and violence were reported during the day in which three persons were killed and around 63 others were injured.

A free for all situation prevailed for several hours due to complete collapse of civil and police administration, which gave the miscreants freedom and they indulged in open vandalism razing shops, vehicles and various other commercial establishments to ground. Twelve bore guns, petrol bottles, lathis and all other available material was used by the mob to set fire on shops, buses, petrol tankers, trucks, cars and other commercial establishments till 7 p.m. Curfew was strictly imposed nearly five hours after it was announced.

The violence in which three people were killed and at least 150 shops were destroyed raised several questions about communalization in the state. Till 1947, the town was known for its near idyllic inter-community relations much due to the conscious collective efforts taken by the elders of both the communities to maintain the mutual trust that existed between them.Kishtwar wasn't always divided on communal lines. It has a strong history of communal harmony. A Sufi saint Hazrat Shah Farid-ud-Din Baghdadi is said to have spread Islam in this area. His shrine is considered holy and worshiped with equal reverence by Hindus and Muslims.

 The political situation in this district, which largely remained peaceful since 1947, changed drastically in the early 1990s due to rise of militancy. The vastness of the district, highly inaccessible mountainous terrains and dense forests provided a safe haven to militants. The separatist movement also gained from the demography of the district and soon managed to earn the sympathy of ethnic Kashmiri Muslim population here. Militancy and Centre's response to it and the separatist politics slowly divided the two communities. The Muslims soon found themselves stuck between the militants and the security forces. While they were forced to aid militants, provide them food, shelter and cover, they were also grilled by the security forces for helping them.

The violence and killings during this period created the first seeds of mistrust between the communities.The situation, however, turned worse after the selective killing of Hindus by militants and the creation of Village Defence Committees (VDCs) that changed the attitude of people towards each other. Over the last 20-30 years,it has become a sensitive place. A similar incident of curfew took place in the year 2003, where violence erupted after Hindus objected to Muslims chanting anti-India slogans after prayers. This incident of communal violence in Kishtwar is not new. In fact, it’s just like a spark in the fire that pre-existed. Locals said that due to curfew and non-supply of fresh stocks, people of the district faced acute shortage of life-saving drugs, baby food, ration items, vegetables and other essentials.