One thing for certain is that Kashmir is always in the news. For a place like Kashmir, everyday is a headline maker. Whether it is politics in the region, day to day happenings, or India, Pakistan involved in their tug of war, Kashmir is always a name that comes up.
Although it is hard to condense the happenings of one year in Kashmir in any list, this is a concise collection of top stories that made headlines in the year 2021.
1) Geelani’s Death.
On September 1, 2021, the face of separatist resistance and the former leader of All Parties Hurriyat Conference passed away after developing breathing complications died around 10:30 p.m. on 1 September 2021 at his Hyderpora residence in Srinagar, due to prolonged illness.
What followed was utter chaos, first his son Nayeem alleged that the police forcibly took away his body and buried it, while they refused to attend the funeral. Dilbag Singh, the Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police, however denied the allegations.
Restrictions on travel and internet were imposed in Kashmir soon after Geelani’s death. A FIR was later registered against his family members for anti-national activities.
It was the end of an era in Kashmir’s history of turmoil.
2) Hyderpora Killings.
The encounter that wasn’t.
On 15th November, security forcers carried out an operation in the Hyderpora area of Srinagar.
Four persons including the building owner and a businessman—Altaf Ahmed Bhat and Dr. Mudasir Gul, both residents of Srinagar, were killed. Aamir Magray from Ramban was another who was killed, while the fourth one was reported to be a foreign militant.
Within a few hours reports emerged that those killed were innocent and that the encounter was staged. Rumors soon gained weight as two bodies of Altaf Ahmed and Mudasir Gul were buried in the dark of the night.
Voices grew louder demanding the return of dead bodies of three victims. From politicians, to separatists and common man everyone was one the same front asking for bodies to be returned, with a complete shutdown observed as well on the following Thursday in protest.
Finally under pressure the J&K administration agreed to hand over the dead bodies and the two civilians were laid to rest in their ancestral graveyards.
The family of Amir Magray however, still await the body of their son.
3) Sale of Orphans.
On December 1st a shocking development came to light when an India Today investigation found that a Kashmir based NGO has been selling Kashmiri children orphaned due to Covid, in various parts of India.
As per the India Today investigation report, Asrar Amin ran an NGO in Kashmir called Global Welfare Charitable Trust, which claims to be working for children and family welfare.
But when India Today’s SIT reporters probed him at a hotel in Delhi, he offered Covid orphans under his care for the sum of Rs 75,000 a child.
The SIT probed further and found another NGO operator from Pampore in Kashmir offering newborn Covid orphans, some even lifted from hospitals, for adoption.
Aijaz Ahmad Dar of the Noble Foundation nonprofit told India Today’s investigative reporters in New Delhi that he would involve hospital doctors in stealing the orphaned newborns.
Shortly an FIR was lodged in this case and J&K Police sealed the offices of NGO ‘Global Welfare Charitable Trust’ and arrested two people over allegations of illegal adoption.
4) Non Locals Killed.
On October 5, Makhan Lal Bindroo, owner of noted Bindroo Pharmacy was shot dead while at his shop.
Bindroo’s killing was the first of three on the evening of October 5. Within an hour, Virender Paswan, a panipuri seller from Bihar, was shot dead by suspected militants about 8 km away from Bindroo’s shop.
Shortly afterwards, news emerged of another killing, this time in North Kashmir. Mohammad Shafi Lone, a taxi driver in Naidkhai in Bandipora district, had been shot dead.
On October 16, two non-local vendors were shot dead by militants in two different places in the Valley.
These incidents sparked fear of a return to the days of 90’s and triggered the migration of non local labourers from the valley.
5) Curbs on Journalists.
This year also witnessed the administration coming down hard on the journalists in the valley.
First there was this Police Officer who led the thrashing of journalists at Lal Chowk and was later removed from his position.
Then J&K police conducted raids and detained four journalists in Srinagar on September 8.
The journalists included Hilal Mir, a freelancer; Shah Abbas, Azhar Qadri, a freelancer; and Showkat Motta, editor of the Kashmir Narrator magazine.
Almost a month later two journalists Salman Shah and Suhail Dar both of Anantnag, were arrested. Shortly afterwards Mukhtar Zahoor, a photojournalist was also detained by the police.
Even with Press Council of India having its fact finding team in Kashmir, arrests of scribes were being carried out. This even led to UN Human Rights Body to express concern over the treatment of journalists in Kashmir by Indian administration.
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6) Darbar Move Scrapped.
On June 30, the Jammu and Kashmir, made a historic decision to end 149-year old practice of Darbar Move (capital shifting between Jammu and Srinagar).
Following this, the administration served notice to employees to vacate the ‘Darbar Move’ related accommodations in three weeks in Jammu and Srinagar.
“Now both the Jammu and Srinagar secretariats can function normally for 12 months. This will save the government Rs 200 crore per year, which will be used for the welfare of the deprived sections”, LG Manoj Sinha had said at that time.
However, due to growing dissention and logical reasons the J&K administration took a U-turn after cancelling the 149-year old biannual tradition by restoring the practice on November 5.
7) JK All Party Meet
In a big political upturn for parties in J&K , an all party meet consisting of major J&K political parties with the ruling BJP was scheduled for une 24, in New Delhi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
There was great expectation and hype around the all party meeting with the likes of Omar Abdullah, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Sajjad Lone, Altaf Bukhari and Muzaffar Hussain Beig among the big names attending.
Matters like restoration of statehood, article 370 and such were on board to be discussed.
However, once the hype fizzled out it was observed that it was much hooplah over nothing. Nothing concrete or anything of value came out of the meeting.
Many said that it was a mere political exercise to engage the estranged political leadership of J&K and so it proved.
8) Srinagar Makes Creative Cities List.
On November 9, Srinagar Mayor Junaid Mattoo announced that the city has been featured in the prestigious list of United Nations Creative Cities Network in the category of craft and folk art.
This inclusion marked a recognition of J&K’s rich craft and art heritage.
Given the turmoil of the past two years, on a sentimental note, this was at least a comforting and uplifting piece of news for Kashmiris.
9) India-Pakistan Match Fallout, Arrests, UAPA.
It is hard to keep Kashmir’s stakeholders India and Pakistan out of anything in Kashmir even when it is not about politics.
After Pakistan beat India for the first time in a World Cup clash there was immediate fallout in Kashmir from that match.
First Kashmiri students were beaten at educational institutions in Punjab.
Then six people were arrested by J&K Police after a video purportedly showing ‘objectionable’ slogans being raised by a group of persons in Samba district.
UAPA, sedition charges were levelled against students and other people from Kashmir. While some were cleared, others lost their jobs just for posting a WhatsApp status.
Still 3 J&K students arrested in Uttar Pradesh’s Agra for allegedly celebrating Pakistan’s win over India in the ongoing T20 World Cup, remain in custody.
The Agra court has extended the judicial remand of these three students as per latest updates.
10) CRPF Personnel Occupy Marriage Halls.
In a harrowing incident, marriage halls which often double as community halls were overtaken by security forces following deployment of 5000 troops of the CRPF in Kashmir on November 5.
CRPF occupied marriage halls in Shatrashahi, Illahi Bagh areas of Srinagar city while also settling in community halls of Barbarshah, Nowshera and other areas.
Locals voiced their concerns and opposed the move saying this move put the people at risk . They appealed to the LG Manoj Sinha led administration to provide alternate accommodation to the CRPF men.
Soon as with things in Kashmir, matters took a political turn, former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti raised their voice against the use of marriage halls as security bunkers in Kashmir.
Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) Mayor Junaid Mattu raised the issue with the divisional administration for exploring alternative options for housing the security personnel.
Eventually after protests against this controversial move, common sense prevailed and the administration ordered troops to start moving out of these community halls.
The administration said that they didn’t want to hassle the citizens but the government was crunched for space and there was little time to find accommodation for the troops and it was a temporary move.
(Featured image design: Faizan Wani)