In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops in their fresh act of state terrorism, martyred two more youth in Bandipore district, today, raising the toll to four in less than 24 hours in the occupied territory.
The youth were killed by the troops during a cordon and search operation at in Hajin area of the district. Another youth was critically injured in the forces’ operation.
Meanwhile, complete shutdown was observed across occupied Jammu and Kashmir against the Indian attempts to abrogate the Article 35-A of the Indian constitution through its judiciary.
The strike paralyzed normal life in Kashmir valley, Chenab valley Doda, Bhaderwah, Banihal, Thathri, Gandoh, Kishtwar and Pir Panjal areas of Rajouri and Poonch districts. Call for the two-day shutdown was given by the Joint Resistance Leadership. Indian Supreme Court will hear petitions challenging the Article 35-A, tomorrow.
Protests were held in Tangdhar and Tral areas of Kupwara and Pulwama districts in support of Article 35-A. Members of Sikh community also participated in the protests. A 14-member team of Kashmir Bar Association led by Bar President, Mian Abdul Qayoom will seek dismissal of the petitions challenging Article 35-A in the Indian Supreme Court, tomorrow.
Indian police arrested around two dozen youth including Mohammad Amin, a cook of the APHC office, and father of mujahid commander Riyaz Naikoo during raids on their houses in south Kashmir. Indian National Investigation Agency arrested second son of Hizbul Mujahideen Chief, Syed Salahuddin during a raid at his residence in Srinagar. The agency had arrested Salahuddin’s elder son Syed Shahid Yousuf in October, last year. The troops set on fire houses of two mujahideen, Shahjahan and Syed Naveed, in Amshipora and Nazneenpora areas of Shopian district.
According to the data released by the Research Section of the Kashmir Media Service on the occasion of the International Day of Disappeared, today, over 8,000 Kashmiris have vanished in the custody after they were picked up by the Indian forces’ personnel.
Hurriyat leaders including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Javaid Ahmad Mir and Ghulam Ahmad Gulzar in their statements condemned the arrest of Gautam Navlakha and other Indian human rights activist terming the act as manifestation of fascist policy of Narendra Modi-led Indian government. Famous Indian writer and novelist Arundhati Roy in a media interview in Kolkata termed the situation in India as more serious than it was at the time of the Emergency in the mid-1970s. Gautam Navalakha and the detained rights activists had been highlighting human rights violations by the Indian forces in occupied Kashmir.
The members of civil society of Doda in a statement strongly denounced the Indian police for bulldozing a mosque at Galadhar area of Kastigarh in the district.
