Decrease in Violence Since the Abrogation of Article-370 From Kashmir Last Year

Srinagar : After the removal of Article-370 from Jammu and Kashmir last year, the incidents of stone pelting and the continuous grabbing of separatist leaders have led to a steady decrease in violence in the Union Territory. Officials said on Monday (3 August) that a comparative analysis of the data collected since constitutional changes were made last year shows that separatist leaders who called for a strike in Kashmir are frustrated by the drastic steps of the Modi government because the government has taken steps such as sealing the bank accounts of the separatists and seized their assets earned from the money received for terrorism.

The Center abolished the special provision provided to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution on August 5 last year and divided the state into two Union Territories – Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh. In the past one year, separatist groups have called for a ‘Bandh’. These groups have become inactive following the arrest of several key leaders of separatist groups. The government has arrested Yasin Malik of JKLF, who is an accused in the 1990 Indian Air Force personnel murder case. Shabbir Shah, the leader of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party, has also been arrested, accused in a 2007 money laundering case.

Officials said that the case of selling medical seats in Pakistan by separatist leaders also came to the notice last year due to which there was widespread dissatisfaction against these people in the public. Officials said that after the government changed the rules, crowds of thousands of people who had gathered in the funeral of the terrorists were also stopped as the slain militants were not identified. In some cases, the terrorists were identified, but their bodies were sent to unknown cemeteries – either Baramulla or Ganderbal and buried in the presence of family members.

Presenting the declining violence figures, officials said that 532 incidents of stone pelting occurred in 2018, 389 in 2019 and 102 incidents of stone pelting in 2020. He said that the incidence of stone pelting decreased by 27 percent in 2019 as compared to 2018, while the incidence of stone pelting decreased by 73 percent in 2020. Officials said that 2268 stone pelters were arrested in 2018, 1127 in 2019 and 1152 in 2020. According to the data, 583 terrorists were arrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act in 2018, while 849 terrorists were arrested in 2019 and 444 in 2020.

According to officials, 58 Hurriyat leaders were detained in 2018, while 70 in 2019 and six Hurriyat leaders were detained in 2020. At the same time, in 2019, 29 activists of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami and eight of its activists were detained in 2020. Security and vehicles of all separatist leaders were also withdrawn from 2019 onwards.

According to the data, in the course of investigation, transactions have been banned in 82 bank accounts of separatists, which had deposits of Rs 70,44,073 and raided 19 premises with offices of Jamaat-e-Islami. In addition, the house of separatist leader Asiya Andrabi was seized in a case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. Officials said that security agencies are constantly monitoring and taking necessary action in relation to terrorist financing and other matters.