Militants release all 11 relatives of J&K cops
The move came hours after police freed father of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Assadullah Naikoo
SRINAGAR: Militants in Kashmir abducted, and then released, 11 relatives of state police personnel in apparent retaliation to police detention of the families of three Hizbul Mujahideen men amid mounting tension in the valley.
The 11 family members were abducted from villages in the Pulwama, Anantnag, Shopian and Anantnag districts of south Kashmir on Thursday night and Friday morning, even as allegations swirled that security forces had set fire to the homes of militant leaders during night raids.
Late on Friday evening, the militants released all 11 relatives of policemen after the state released the kin of the three militants detained earlier. Jammu and Kashmir director general of police SP Vaid confirmed the 11 relatives of policemen had been released and were back home.
Among those detained by police earlier was Asadullah Naikoo, father of Hizbul Mujahideen operational commander Riyaz Naikoo , who was picked up from his Awantipora home in south Kashmir, a day after four policemen were killed in Shopian. The police said Asadullah Naikoo was called for questioning and released.
In an audio clip posted on social media on Friday evening, Riyaz Naikoo said the fight was against India but that Kashmir Police had become a “victim of Indian conspiracy” and its frontline. “We have tolerated a lot till this day and tried to make police understand but they did not listen. From now onwards we won’t allow this. From now onwards whosoever becomes our obstacle in our struggle, his fate will be that of an enemy.’’ The abductions followed the arrest of the son of Syed Salauddin, chief of the Hizbul Mujahideen, by the National Investigation Agency.
Additional director general of police (law and order) Munir Ahmad Khan said the department was trying to ascertain the motive of the militants. “In the video, they have made some allegations but those allegations are not specific, they are sort of general .” He added that police does not vandalise properties nor harass relatives of militants.
The abduction was condemned by politicians across party lines. “Militants and forces victimising each other’s families is highly condemnable and marks a new low in our situation. Families shouldn’t become casualties and made to suffer for something they have little control over,” said former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti. “11 abductions! This is a very worrying reflection of the situation in the valley,” tweeted former chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah.
“What’s worse is the selective outrage - people/leaders who are so vocal about alleged security force excesses are silent about these abductions,” he tweeted.
The abductions were all reported from south Kashmir, which has emerged as a militant hotspot in the Valley in recent years. As many as 33 policemen have been killed so far this year, including three on Eid, when policemen were visiting their homes despite an advisory that cautioned against such a move. About 1,600 policemen have died in J & K since armed insurgency broke out in 1990.
My men are extremely disturbed. There is a fear perception about our families. This should happen neither from our side nor from theirs
SHO RANK OFFICIAL
There is a sense of alarm and despair among Jammu and Kashmir policemen and their families after 11 members of policemen’s families were kidnapped, and then released, by militants over the past 48 hours, responding to the Wednesday night detention by the police of family members of some Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including those of its operational commander, Riyaz Naikoo.
The release of the relatives of the policemen came after the police let go the relatives of the militants.
Families of a few militants in Shopian alleged their houses were ransacked and set ablaze allegedly by security forces on Wednesday night, hours after four policemen were killed by militants.
While the police, army and the Central Reserve Police Force collectively fight militancy in Kashmir, policemen typically come from the same social milieu as local militants, making them and their families easy targets. Army and paramilitary men stay in guarded camps.
While police officers are putting up a brave front, they concede on the condition of anonymity, that the lower ranks are jittery following the abductions. The abductions have happened in south Kashmir, in Pulwama, Shopian, Ananatnag and Kulgam.
“My men are extremely disturbed. There is a fear perception about our families. This should happen neither from our side nor from theirs,” said an officer of SHO (station house officer) rank in central Kashmir who has many policemen from south Kashmir under his command.
“If families get involved, there will be chaos. Overall, both sides will get affected. Many of my friends and colleagues are contemplating to migrate from south Kashmir. Some are even thinking of leaving their jobs,” he said.
Additional director general of police (law and order) Munir Ahmad Khan denied panic has set in among the lower ranks of police force but said there is concern. “There is no fear but yes they are concerned about it. They are concerned as to why they (militants) are doing it,” he said.
A mid-ranking police officer from south Kashmir declined comment, saying he is keeping quiet for the sake of “his life”.
Another DSP level officer said: “Many of our special police officers (SPOS) were threatened and attacked despite announcing that they are leaving their jobs.”
The brother of a police constable working in the armed police said both sides have erred by targeting families of each other. “What will happen now? My mother is so worried,” he said.
“This is madness on part of militants but policemen have been equally foolish to round up the families of militants during the night and ransacking their households,” he said.
“My brother is depressed. He can’t leave the job. He has a wife and a child to take care of,” he said.
The brother said that separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik should intervene to prevent the situation from going out of hand.
The mother of a 34-year-old police constable said she has left it to fate. “What can be done? Life and death is in the hands of God. Our poverty has forced him to do the job. He is ready to leave the job but we don’t have money to sustain us,” she said.