Srinagar: The authorities launched a massive crackdown and detained dozens of Jamaat-e-Islami cadre, including its chief Abdul Hamid Fayaz, in Kashmir valley on Saturday. Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Yasin Malik was detained by the police in Srinagar on Friday.
Police said that over 150 separatists, mostly Jamaat activists, were arrested from their homes located in different places. The authorities have, however, given no explanation as to why the raids were necessitated. The nocturnal raids were conducted in south, central and north Kashmir districts to detain the senior-most members of the separatist groups.
Meanwhile, on the Jammu and Kashmir government’s request, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has dispatched 100 additional paramilitary companies to the Kashmir valley. In the wake of the Pulwama terrorist attack, the Centre has decided to deploy additional 100 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) on an urgent basis in Jammu and Kashmir, the MHA has said.
In another surprise development, the police zonal headquarters of Kashmir said on Saturday that the Border Security Force (BSF) had been redeployed in Srinagar, for the first time after it was taken off from anti-terrorist operations in Kashmir in 2005. The police further said that the BSF and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) companies would be deployed in various areas of Srinagar city.
In a statement, Jamaat said that it seemed that the Central government was going to do something fishy, especially with the special status of the state. The people of Kashmir would resist any such move, it added. Notably, the Supreme Court is expected to hear on Monday the case relating to Article 35A, which provides special privileges and rights to the residents of J&K.
Condemning the arrests, Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that more force and intimidation would prove to be counter-productive for the Central government. Instead of crying “war”, New Delhi should start serious and urgent dialogue with Pakistan and the people of Jammu and Kashmir for permanent peace, he added. PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti too criticized the arrests, describing themas unwarranted and arbitrary.
BJP ally Sajad Lone also cautioned the Centre against reverting to the “tried tested and failed model” of 1990 when “Large scale arrests took place… Leaders were ferried to Jodhpur and many jails across the country. Things worsened.” Please desist from it. It won’t work. Things will worsen,” he tweeted.
Tension has gripped the entire Valley with people apprehending more crackdowns and arrests. The fact that 100 additional paramilitary companies have been sent to Srinagar has further fuelled such rumours. There is panic buying in the markets. Srinagar and Anantnag witnessed shutdowns and stone-pelting incidents on Saturday.
However, police came out with a statement asking people not to pay any heed to rumours, saying that the deployment of additional paramilitary companies in Kashmir was part of the exercise needed to undertake by the state government to hold free and fair elections.
An MHA letter on Friday asked the Inspector General (Operations) of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to ensure immediate movement of the forces in coordination with all other forces. The CAPF refers to the uniform nomenclature of seven security forces in India under the authority of the MHA.
The ministry said it was “urgently” deploying 45 companies of the CRPF, 35 companies of BSF, and 10 companies each of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and ITBP.
The administration decided to deploy more troops in sensitive places. It was also decided to replace the CRPF personnel in Srinagar with BSF and ITBP personnel, an official order said on Friday.
(With agency inputs)