HM briefs PM at high-level meet, Guv says nothing wrong will happen
Crackdown on separatists, JeI; 200 rounded up
Panic, tension in Kashmir; Govt orders add fuel to fire
Sanjeev Pargal/ Fayaz Bukhari
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Feb 23: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has moved 100 additional companies of para-military forces comprising about 10,000 security personnel to the Kashmir valley while Home Minister Rajnath Singh briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on security situation in Jammu and Kashmir tonight but Governor Satya Pal Malik maintained that nothing wrong was going to happen in the State and that arrest of separatists was part of security crackdown and deployment of additional troops was related to pre-election exercise.
Meanwhile, security forces launched massive crackdown against separatists especially leaders and members of Jamat-e-Islami and rounded up around 200 of them.
An official communication of the MHA addressed to the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and Director General of Police, J&K said: “We have to urgently deploy additional 100 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to Kashmir with immediate effect. The IG Operations CRPF are requested to ensure immediate movement of forces in coordination with IG Operations of all Forces”.
Of 100 companies being deployed to Kashmir, the MHA order said, 45 belonged to CRPF, 35 BSF and 10 each to Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
A para-military company has sanctioned strength of 135 personnel but generally 100 men are operational. As such 100 additional companies of para-military forces would have around 10,000 personnel.
The BSF was brought back to Srinagar after 14 years, official sources told the Excelsior.
The ADGP Armed in a wireless message to all IGPs, DIGs, Commandants and SPs of Armed PCRs directed for keeping available and in a state of readiness entire manpower for further deployment for law & order duties at short notice.
Late tonight, Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Union capital on security situation prevailing in the Kashmir valley and borders with Pakistan.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval were present at the meeting among others, sources said.
The meeting comes amidst statements by Modi and Rajnath Singh that martyrdom of 44 CRPF jawans won’t go in vain and that separatism wouldn’t be allowed to run in Kashmir any more.
As panic and tension gripped entire Kashmir valley with some of the Government orders like cancellation of winter vacation of the doctors in the GMC Srinagar and maintenance of supply of ration and medicines adding fuel to the fire, Governor Satya Pal Malik told some of the news channels that arrest of separatists was part of security crackdown while deployment of additional para-military forces in the Valley was related to pre-election exercise.
Urging the people to ignore rumours on Article 35-A, Malik assured the people that nothing wrong is going to happen and he would come out with a detailed statement on the situation tomorrow noon.
Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh told the Excelsior that the administration is in pre-election mode and there were some law and order requirements also for which additional para-military forces have been deployed in the Valley.
“Certain steps are also being taken in view of tensions between India and Pakistan post-Pulwama attack,” Singh said.
National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah spoke to Rajnath Singh tonight to brief him about sense of panic that is prevailing in the Valley at the moment. He requested the Union Government to step in with a statement and steps that reassured people. NC vice president Omar Abdullah informed this through a tweet. He said Dr Abdullah also informed Rajnath about panic buying in the markets and the way petrol pumps have run dry and how speculation about possible developments has worsened an already tense situation.
The BSF was brought back to Srinagar after 14 years.
Sources said the BSF has been brought back to the valley after 14 years. They said the force was temporarily deployed in the valley for a week during the unrest of 2016, but was withdrawn immediately. The deployment comes amid simmering Indo-Pak tensions in the wake of the February 14 Pulwama terror attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed.
The BSF has been deployed at five places–four in Srinagar and one in Budgam districts and has replaced the CRPF, sources said. They said the move is aimed at strengthening the law and order grid presently available in the valley. “The BSF along with the ITBP companies shall take over the static guard duties of the CRPF companies deployed in Kashmir zone,” they said. Security forces launched a massive crackdown against separatists especially leaders and members of Jamat-e-Islami and over 200 were rounded up during last few days.
The major crackdown was launched last night against Jamat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir and its chief Abdul Hamid Fayaz, was among around 150 JeI leaders and members detained by troops last night. They were pulled out of their houses during nocturnal raids, which is one of the biggest crackdown in recent years against Islamist party.
It is not clear whether the crackdown is related to Pulwama attack or elections or with hearing by the Supreme Court on Article 35A of the Constitution.
A Police official said that the arrests of leaders and activists of separatist groups including those of Jamat-e-Islami were purely part of an election exercise undertaken to ensure free and fair elections along with other parts of country.
“The arrival of Central forces and arrests of leaders and activists of separatist groups including Jamat-e-Islami is part of election exercise undertaken to ensure free and fair elections in the state along with other parts of the country,” the police officer said, adding: “Anti-election campaign won’t be allowed and all such people including separatists will be detained to ensure incident free fair and transparent elections in the state”, the official said.
The rumours panicked the people in Valley after news about the deployment of hundred companies of Central forces spread on social networking sites.
These forces will be deployed for guard duties of major installations including Radio Kashmir, Doordarshan, General Post office and other places and the CRPF already deployed there would be deployed for law and order duty.
While International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) were gradually calm in Jammu region barring a minor ceasefire violation, the people went ahead with their routine work. Though it was life as usual on the borders, the administration was not taking any chances in view of aggressive postures of the Central Government towards Pakistan following Pulwama terror attack.
Government Medical College (GMC) Principal, Dr Sunanda Raina said no fresh leave is being sanctioned in favour of doctors and para-medical staff.
An official order issued by Director Health Services Jammu, Dr Samir Mattoo sought supply position of drugs, medicines (as per essential drugs list), dressing consumable etc from all Chief Medical Officers and Medical Superintendents in Jammu province.
An official in Srinagar regretted that rumour mongering on several issues has panicked the people while there was nothing new in the deployment of Central forces and arrests of separatists in connection with the election exercise for the ensuing general elections.
In a statement, a JeI spokesman said the police and other security forces launched a “mass arrest drive” during the intervening night of February 22 and 23 and arrested dozens of its central and district-level leaders.
“Those detained include Ameer Jama’at Dr Abdul Hamid Fayaz, Advocate Zahid Ali (Spokesperson), Ghulam Qadir Lone (Former Secretary General), Abdur Rouf (Ameer Zila Anantnag), Mudasir Ahmad (Ameer Tehsil Pahalgam), Abdul Salam (Dialgam), Bakhtawar Ahmad (Dialgam), Mohammad Amin Wani (Tral), Bilal Ahmad (Chadoora), Ghulam Mohammad Dar (Chak Sangran) and dozens more,” said the spokesman.
Condemning the detentions, he said the move seems a “well designed ploy and that there was something fishy when the state’s special position is listed in Supreme Court.
“Article 35(A) which grants special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, is being heard within days and the way forces personnel unleashed the spree of mass arrest and detained dozens of Jama’at members prior to the hearing seems something is hatching behind the curtains,” said the spokesman, adding: “Any attempt of eroding or tempering Article 35(A) is unacceptable for people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Several Jammat members including Dr Wasil, Nazir Ahmad Khan, Adv Qazi Syed Irfan, Abdul Majid Dar, Khazir Mohd Khuroo and Abdul Khaliq Regoo were detained in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Two Hurriyat activists namely Mushtaq Ahmed Wani son of Muhammad Sultan of Nadihal and Tariq Ahmad Shiekh, son of Gh Nabi resident of Arin were detained from their residences in Bandipora.
The district chief of Jama’at-e-Islami Ganderbal Ghulam Mohammed War and several other executive members were detained from the central Kashmir district.
The arrest of the Jama’at leaders and JKLF chief Yasin Malik led to a partial shutdown in the commercial hub of Lal Chowk and the adjacent areas. Shutdown was observed at several places and protests broke out at Anantnag and security forces fired tear smoke to chase them away.
And there was panic in Kashmir after three government orders asking ration depots to lift the ration from the central stores by tomorrow, hospitals were asked to lift the medical supplies immediately and Government Medical College cancelled leaves of doctors. However, the order of ration was revoked by Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department this evening.
Long queues were seen outside petrol Stations in Kashmir with some pumps running dry. Mohammad Junaid was searching for petrol for 3 hours in Srinagar before he reached Lal Chowk where a long queue was waiting outside the petrol station.
“I went to several petrol pumps in the city but they are either closed or dry. I am waiting here for one hour now. I don’t know when my turn comes by that time, the petrol will last or not”, he said.
Abdul Rashid, an auto rickshaw driver said: “I went to 5-6 petrol stations but they were either closed or selling diesel and petrol was no where available. I have exhausted my petrol and I don’t know whether it will last till I reach home or not as chances of getting petrol at this Station is bleak”.
The medical shops are running out of life saving drugs. “Patients are coming to the drugs store to buy anti-cancer, hypertension, diabetic and other life saving drugs. But we have these supplies for about a week only and some of the medical stores have not such medicines left”, said a Medical shop owner in Srinagar
Mohammad Amin Rather, owner of A-Z grocery Store in Rajbagh area of Srinagar said that there is huge rush for the essentials since afternoon. “People are buying rice, edible oil, pulses, eggs and other essentials in bulk. We are busy and supplies are running out”, he said.
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