6 labourers killed in Valley on day of EU group’s visit
TERROR STRIKE All victims from West Bengal; seventh such attack on migrant workers since abrogation of Art 370 on Aug 5; 12 shot dead in less than 3 weeks
SRINAGAR: MILITANTS gunned down six migrant labourers on Tuesday in Jammu & Kashmir’s (J&K) Kulgam district, the fifth attack in two weeks in which people from outside the state have been targeted. The incident came on a day a group of 23 European lawmakers met senior army and administration officials in the Valley, stoking violent protests in several parts of the region.
Police sources said that the militants came to Katrasoo village of Kulgam, took out the masons and carpenters from outside the state working there and opened fire at them, killing five of them on the spot. The sixth succumbed to his injuries while being taken to a hospital.
“Five bullet-ridden bodies were discovered from the room where these labourers were staying,” said police officials.
Five of those killed were identified as Sheikh Kamrudin, Sheikh M Rafiq, Sheikh Murnsulin, Sheikh Nizam-ud Din and Mohd Rafiq Sheikh. The identity of the sixth victim is yet to be ascertained.
All the victims were from Murshidabad district in West Bengal. Police said a high alert had been sounded in the area.
In the past two weeks, militants have killed four truck drivers, a trader from Punjab, and a migrant labourer from Rajasthan. The total number of victims from outside the state in this period now stands at 12.
Tens of thousands of migrant labourers had fled the Valley in the weeks after the nullification of Article 370, which bestowed special status on J&K, on August 5. But experts estimate that many more remain at work in Kashmir and are becoming the target of militants.
Earlier in the day, the European lawmakers — the first international group to visit Kashmir since August 5 — went to the army headquarters in Srinagar, where they were briefed by chief secretary BVR Subrahmanyam and police chief Dilbag Singh.
Residents voiced anger that the federal government was trying to show the delegation Kashmir was returning to normal, even as most mobile phone and Internet connections remain severed and daily life disrupted by a security clamp-down.
The old city of Srinagar, which houses roughly a third of the its two million population, saw a number of clashes as young men and women leapt over barbed wires to hurl stones at the police, which retaliated with tear gas shells and pellets.
A senior official said at least 30 incidents of stone pelting and protests were reported from different parts of Kashmir. Roads were deserted and street vendors were missing despite restrictions having been relaxed in most parts of the region.
Meanwhile, the United Nations also expressed concern about the condition of Kashmiris and urged India to fully restore their rights. “We are extremely concerned that the population In Kashmir continues to be deprived of a wide range of human rights and we urge the Indian authorities to unlock the situation and fully restore the rights that are currently being denied,” said Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Several Opposition politicians in J&K alleged that they weren’t allowed to meet the team. “We did attempt to approach the authorities for a meeting with EU delegation. Unfortunately there was no response. The government didn’t respond to our request,’’ said Hasnain Masoodi, the National Conference MP from Anantnag.
SRINAGAR: A delegation of 23 EU MPS, on a two-day visit to assess the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, arrived in Srinagar on Tuesday to a complete shutdown and clashes between people and security forces in several parts of the city and the Valley.
A convoy of security vehicles escorted the MPS, who were travelling in bullet-proof vehicles, from the airport to their hotel where a traditional Kashmiri welcome awaited them.
Jammu and Kashmir chief secretary BVR Subrahmanyam and police chief Dilbag Singh briefed the members of the European Union (EU) delegation, the first high-level foreign visitors to Kashmir after the August 5 decision of the Centre to revoke the state’s special status and bifurcate it into two union territories.
The delegation visited strategic 15 Corps headquarters and was briefed by top security officials about the situation in Kashmir and on the Line of Control (LOC). Later, the EU MPS held meetings with several delegations which had come from various parts of Kashmir.
NC MPS ‘NOT INVITED’
The delegation held separate meetings with members of urban local bodies, panchayat members, leaders of some mainstream political parties, representatives of NGO’S and newly-elected BDC chairpersons.
Officials said more than 20 delegations from Kashmir met the EU MPS and most of them arrived at the high-end hotel on the picturesque Zabarwan Mountains in cars with tinted glasses.
However, members of prominent trade bodies, politicians and civil society members and activists were not invited for the meeting with the EU delegation. Even the two sitting National Conference MP’S —Akbar Lone from Baramulla and Hasnain Masoodi from Anantnag—were not invited for the meeting.
An eight-member delegation from the Bharatiya Janata Party under the chairmanship of party spokesperson Altaf Thakur met the EU MPS. “We had a seven minute meeting with the EU members and told them about the real situation in Kashmir. We also conveyed that Article 370 was the biggest hindrance to peace, employment and development in the state, which boosted terrorism,’’ Thakur said.
A six-member delegation from Janta Dal (United) also met the EU MPS. The party’s state president Ghulam Nabi Shaheen said, “We told them we want industries and an end to unemployment and also presented facts about the situation in the Valley.”
Baramulla municipal council deputy chairman Abid Salam, who also met the delegation along with a group said they talked about how Article 370 was a hindrance to development in the state.
“They asked us about urban local bodies and panchayat elections and sought our opinion on ground realities,” he added.
Sofi Arfat, who is the councillor from Ashmuqam Municipal Council said their group told the EU delegation that after abrogation of Article 370, the onus is now on the central government. “The centre is saying that revocation of Article 370 is for betterment of the people. Now, it is time to prove it,” Arfat said.
A delegation of panchayat members led by GM Sofi, who is general secretary of Awami Panchayat Raj, said he told the EU MPS that Pakistan is spreading terrorism in Kashmir from past 30 years and EU didn’t raise its voice. “It has destroyed Kashmir. We have our Reshi culture and nobody talked about terrorism. There was no development and unemployment is at its peak besides political corruption,” Sofi said.
Srinagar MP Husnain Masoodi said, “There are three elected representatives from Kashmir in the parliament. Although Farooq Abdullah is under detention, I along with MP Akbar Lone came to Srinagar and made an attempt to approach authorities for a meeting with the EU delegation. The government didn’t respond to our request.”
Masoodi said they expected the authorities as well as the EU MPS to enquire from the government about them. “They (EU members) should have made an attempt to meet us. This impacts the credibility of the entire exercise. It has become nothing but a guided sightseeing,” he said.
The delegation will leave for New Delhi on Wednesday.
FOUR CIVILIANS, CRPF JAWAN HURT IN CLASHES
Fresh clashes between youth and security forces erupted in the city and other parts of the Valley in which more than four people were injured after pellets were fired on the protestors. A CRPF jawan was also injured during the protests.
Since abrogation of Article 370, the Valley has been witnessing a complete shutdown against the removal of the state’s special status. However, shops that usually remained open for two hours in the morning were shut on Tuesday.
In old city, clashes erupted at many places despite heavy deployment of troops at sensitive places. Police had placed barbed wires at several places to prevent stone pelting or protests.
Official’s privy to records said more than 30 incidents of stone pelting and protests were reported from different parts of Kashmir and at some places security forces used tear smoke shells and pellets to disperse the protestors. “Four people received pellet injuries during protests at different places,” a senior police officer said.“a CRPF jawan suffered injuries on his foot. He is stable,” an official said.
CRPF spokesperson Pankaj Singh said a head constable got minor injuries in Natipora area.