2010 Kashmir unrest

The Quit Kashmir Movement or Quit JK Movement (Jammu Kashmir Chood Do Tehreek) is a civil disobedience movement launched by Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani in Indian Administered Kashmir in June 2010.^[1] The call for this campaign was given for complete demilitarization of Indian Administered Kashmir. The separatists held Indian Forces responsible for various human rights abuses including Machil fake encounter, killing of dozens of innocent youth, outraging chastity of women, destroying property and exploitation of natural resources of Indian Administered Kashmir. They claimed that "the oppression has reached the extreme" which resulted in the launching of ‘Quit Jammu and Kashmir Movement’.^[2] The campaign was also aimed to reiterate the call for the Right to Self-Determination for the people of Indian Administered Kashmir as was promised by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1947, the then Prime Minister of Indian state, under the auspices of United Nation. Due to killing of several of teeagers in 2010, the year 2010 has been marked as the year of teenage killing in Kashmir.^[3]

Background: Machil Fake Encounter

On April 30, 2010 Indian Army claimed to have foiled an infiltration bid from across the Line of Control (LoC), diving line between two parts of Jammu and Kashmir, at Machil Sector in Kupwara district by killing three infiltrators from Pakistan.^[4]. However, latter it came to be known that the three youth were civilians of Rafiabad area, namely Riyaz Ahmed Lone S/o Mohammad Yousuf Lone, Shehzad Ahmed Khan S/o Ghulam Mohammad Khan and Mohammad Shafi Lone S/o Abdul Rashid Lone, who had went missing after a local counter-insurgent, namely Bashir Ahmed, led them to Sonapindi area for working as “porters” for the Army.^[5] On June 11, there were protests against these killings in the downtown area of Srinagar. Police used massive force to disperse the protesting youth during which a teargas bullet killed a seventeen year old Tufail Ahmad Mattoo who was playing cricket in Gani memorial Stadium.^[6] Several protest marches were organized across the Valley in response to the killings which were met with indiscriminate firing by the security forces deployed in the region.^[7] Thereafter a vicious circle was set, killing of a boy was followed by protest demonstrations an clashes with police and CRPF in which another boy was killed which led to anther protest by the boys till youth lost their lives.^[8]

Suppression Of The Movement

In an effort to contain the massive response to "Quit Kashmir Movement" the de-facto government of Indian Administered Kashmir led by Omar Abdullah of National Conference, imposed severe restrictions on "The right to demonstrate" vis-a-viz freedom of speech and of assembly. Indefinite curfew was imposed in major parts of the valley. Almost all of the separatists leader were arrested or put under house arrest immediately after the killing of Tufail Ahmad Matoo. Shoot-at-sight orders were issued in sensitive parts of valley. Omar Abdullah's government failed to curb the situation. Rapid Action Forces were sought from New Delhi to control the protester and enforce the curfew. State Polices along with Indian Forces used excessive force to control the situation. This resulted in death of several people. Most of the people who got killed were teenagers and some were even blow ten(10) years of age. In one of the incidents a 9 year old kid was beaten to death. The anger and frustration against these killing mobilize people especially youth. At least 27 persons, mostly teenagers, were killed during the intense wave of protests that erupted across the Kashmir Valley on July 30 with nine casualties reported on 1 August and seven more on 2 August. The victims, including a 17 year old girl, were mostly teenagers falling in the age group of 14 to 20. Ironically, the spate of fresh killings sparked off after the state government announced on July 27, constitution of a Commission of Inquiry “to inquire into all the 17 incidents in Kashmir division in which fatalities had occurred on account of action by the State police/forces since June 11, 2010.” The Commission of Inquiry, consisted of Justice Syed Bashir-ud-Din (Retd) as the Chairman and Justice YP Nargotra (Retd) as a member, The committee is supposed to submit its report within three months. Undeterred by the constitution of the Commission, the killing spree continued across the valley with the number of fatalities rising to above 40 in one month. Young protesters fell to the bullets of the police and CRPF personnel in almost every town and township of the Valley from the proverbial Khannabal to Khadanyar (from north to south Kashmir).

Besides these killing thousands of protesters were also arrested under infamous Public Safety Act.

Media Sensorship

File:I Protest.JPG

Kashmiri E-Protesters use these graffiti on their profile pages of Buzz, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

During the turmoil journalists were subjected to major restrictions because of a curfew imposed by the police and army in response to a wave of demonstrations and unrest. Reporters were unable to move about in the summer capital, Srinagar, because the local authorities canceled their curfew passes. No newspapers were published on 10 July in protest against the restrictions. Several incidents involving journalists were reported in connection with the demonstrations. Members of the Central Reserve Police Force beat 12 journalists covering a demonstration on 6 July. Mark Magnier of the Los Angeles Times was hit by a police officer near Srinagar's Lake Dal on 7 July. Riyaz Masroor of the BBC's Urdu-language service sustained a fracture to his left hand when policemen hit him on 9 July.^[9]

The authorities also imposed restrictions on the free flow of information: censorship of local cable TV stations, censorship of certain Facebook pages and restrictions on mobile phones during the demonstrations. The broadcasting time of local news channels was restricted from hour-long evening news bulletins to just 15 minutes and barring the stations from rebroadcasting them.to 15 minutes. Besides, many channels were banned from operating anything. This media gag was criticized by various organizations which include “All India Secular Forum”, Press Guild of Kashmir , Reporters without Borders, etc.^[10]^[11]

Gag On SMS Services

On June 29, the media gag order has come from Union Telecom Ministry seeking immediate ban on SMS services in the valley. The reasons to implement the gag order was cited as tense law and order situation in the Valley particularly in Srinagar and North Kashmir.^[12]

Crackdown On E-Protestors

In a press statement issued on 24 June 2010 Hurriyat Conference had suggested people to use various forms of protest. Protesters registered their protests by writing “Go India, Go Back” on walls, boards, placards, roads, social networking websites like Facebook, Twitter and Gmail Buzz. In a bid to contain the voices of dissent emanating from social networking site - Facebook, the state police started crackdown on internet users of Kashmir for posting "anti-India" remarks on social networking sites. The newspaper Greater Kashmir reported that the organizers of a Facebook group were summoned for questioning by the police for posting reports and video footage of the rioting in Srinagar. It was highly condemned by various organizations.^[13]

Dead

Date	Name	Age	Residence	Details
11 June	Tufail Ahmad Mattoo	17	Saida Kadal, Srinagar.	Police allegedly aimed a teargas shell at his head at Rajouri Kadal..^[14]
19 June	Rafiq Ahmad Bangroo	-	Dana Mazaar, Srinagar	Beaten by members of the Central Reserve Police Force near his home in old Srinagar on 12 June, died of his injuries.
20 June	Javed Ahmad Malla	17	Noorbagh(Qamarwari), Srinagar	Died when mourners, returning from Bangroo’s burial, attacked a CRPF bunker, causing its occupants to open fire.
25 June	Shakeel Ahmad Ganai Firdous Ahmad Khan	17 18	Sopore Sopore	Both were killed when the CRPF fired at protesters in Sopore.
27 June	Bilal Ahmad Wani	22	Kralteng, Sopore	Died following CRPF firing in Sopore.
28 June	Asif Ahmad Rather Tajamul Bashir Bhat	9 20	Sopore Sopore	Killed in Delina killed in Sopore
29 June	Ishtiyaq Ahmed Khanday Imtiyaz Ahmed Itoo Shujaat-ul-Islam	15 18 19	All were from Islamabad	Police personnel allegedly shot them at point blank range inside a residential house in Anchidora locality in Islamabad.
5 July	Muzaffar Ahmad Bhat	17	Gangbugh Batamaloo, Srinagar.	Died in CRPF custody in Srinagar.
6 July	Fayaz Ahmad Wani Fancy Jan Abrah Ahmad Khan	24 25 18	Tengpora Batamaloo. Srinagar. Danderkhah Batamaloo, Srinagar. Maisuma, Srinagar.	shot by the CRPF during Bhat’s funeral procession in Srinagar the first woman to die, killed when a bullet hit her as she watched events from a window in her house killed during protests over Wani’s death.
17 July	Faizan Rafeeq Buhroo	13	Jalal Sahab, Baramulla.	Drowned in river Jhelum while being chased by the SOG personnel of the police following protests in the area.
19 July	Fayaz Ahmad Khanday	22	Kreeri, Baramulla.	Died when CRPF opened fire near DC office Baramulla on the funeral procession of Faizan Rafeeq Buhroo.
25 July	Farooq Ahmad Bhat Tariq Ahmad Dar	28 -	SD Colony, Batamaloo, Srinagar. Panzala, Rafiabad, Baramulla.	Tortured to death and thrown in Kate Kol, Kani Kadal, Srinagar.Police refuted the allegation and claimed that it was a suicidal case. Allegedly killed in police custody. Police refuted the allegation and claimed that it was a suicidal case.
30 July^[15]	Muhammad Ahsan Ganai Showkat Ahmad Chopan Muhammad Rafiq Bhat Nazir Ahmad Mir	55 20 14 32	Amargarh, Sopore. Amargarh, Sopore. Palhalan, Pattan. Sheeri, Baramulla.	First two were killed allegedly in CRPF firing near Amargadh, Sopore. Second two were also killed in police bullets during protests at Palhallan, Pattan on Srinagar-Varmul road.
31 July^[16]	Mudasir Ahmad Lone Javaid Ahmad Teli	17 23	Harpora, Naid Khai, Bandipora. Bangla Bagh, Baramulla.	Killed in alleged indiscriminate police firing at Naidkhai when protesters attacked a nearby SOG camp. Allegedly killed in CRPF firing during protests at Baramulla (Varmul). he had recieved firearm injuries in head.
1 August^[17]	Rayees Ahmad Wani Nayeem Ahmad Shah Afroza Teli Tariq Ahmed Dar.^[18] 5 Others Still To be identified.	18 20 17 17 Unknown	Pampore. Galwanpora, Hyderpora, Srinagar Khrew, Pulwama. Bijbehara. Khrew	Died when CRPF men opened fire on protesters in Pampore. Died when CRPF men opened fire on protesters in Pampore. A bullet hit her head also killed during alleged police firing on protesters. Was shot in the head during protests at the highway town of Bijbehara, succumbed at SKIMS. Died in a mysterious blast when a group of protesters set ablaze a police post at Khrew - adjoining an army formation. killed when the CRPF fired at protesters in Khrew.
2 August^[19]	Tariq Ahmad Shiekh Aashiq Hussain Bhat Muhammad Yaqoob Bhat Bashir Ahmad Reshi Arshid Ahmad Khursheed Ahmad War Sameer Ahmad Rah	17 14 22 26 17 27 9	Semthan, Bijbehara. Waheipora, Kulgam. Zadoora, Pulwama. Wachi, Pulwama. Reshipora, Sangam. Shumnag, Kupwara. Sheikh Dawood Colony, Batamaloo, Srinagar.	Succumbed to injuries at SKIMS Soura, succumbed to injuries at SKIMS Soura Killed when CRPF troops opened fire on peaceful protesters at Chawalgam Kulgam Killed when police and CRPF troops opened fire on peaceful protesters who were on way to Khrew . allegedly shot dead by policemen near Sangam bridge and the body thrown into river Jhelum. He was first tortured and shot at by the CRPF troop Killed in SOG firing near Kralpora in district Kupwara. Beaten to death after police men caught hold of him during "peaceful" protests in the area.
3 August	Mehraj-u-din Lone Anis Ahmad^[20] Reyaz Ahmed Bhat^[21] Jahengir Ahmed Bhat^[22] Sahil Ahmed Dar^[23]	24 17 25 - -	Qamarwari Dangerpora Narwara. Khrew Aarwani village,Kulgam. HMT Zainakot, Srinagar.	Killed in Police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force firing at barthana.^[24] Anis had received a bullet injury in his abdomen during a protest demonstration against the killings and died at the hospital. He was injured in clashed between Indian Forces at Khrew on 1 August. Killed in police and CRPF firing at Frisal police post in Kulgam in South Kashmir. Killed when paramilitary forces opened fire on a group of teenagers holding a peaceful protest in the HMT factory area in the outskirts of Srinagar.