Indian troops in their unabated acts of state terrorism martyred 120 innocent Kashmiris including four women and as many boys during the year 2023 in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). According to a report released by the Research Section of Kashmir Media Service (KMS), today, 41 of the martyrs were killed in fake encounters and custody. The Indian police also killed one Hindu in custody in Jourian police station in IIOJK and another Hindu was killed by Indian troops in Showara Khour Akhnoor area of Jammu district. The report said, the killings by the troops, paramilitary and police personnel rendered 18 women widowed and 58 children orphaned while 7 women were molested, abused or disgraced by the Indian forces during the year. It said that Indian forces destroyed 13 residential houses and structures in the territory. The report pointed out that at least 107 persons were injured due to the use of brute force while 3,610 people, including Hurriyat leaders, activists, students, and women were arrested during house raids and cordon and search operations by Indian troops and police personnel in the territory.

Many of those were arrested under black laws, Public Safety Act (PSA) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Among the detainees of the year include APHC leaders Bilal Siddiqui, Shabbir Ahmed Dar, Firdous Ahmed Shah, Jahangir Ghani Butt, Saleem Nanaji, Sajad Hussain Gul, Muhammad Yasin Butt, Shamsuddin Rehmani, Umar Adil Dar, Maulana Sarjan Barkati, Hassan Firdousi, journalist Irfan Mehraj and Majid Hyderi. The Indian authorities did not allow people to offer Friday prayers for 11 times at the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar besides disallowing other religious functions like Shab-e-Baraat, Shabe Qadr and Eid Milad-un-Nabi (SAW) gatherings in the occupied territory. The report said that resistance leaders, including APHC Chairman Masarrat Aalam Butt, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Nayeem Ahmed Khan, Aasiya Andrabi, Naheeda Nasreen, Fehmeeda Sofi, Ayaz Muhammad Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Raja Merajuddin Kalwal, Shahid-ul-Islam, Farooq Ahmed Dar, Syed Shahid Yousuf, Syed Shakeel Yousuf and human rights defender Khurrum Parvaiz continued to remain in detention in Delhi’s Tihar Jail in fake cases.

The report maintained that over 4,000 people, including Mushtaqul islam, Maulvi Bashir Ahmed, Zaffar Akbar Butt, Dr Hameed Fayaz, Muhammad Yousuf Falahi, Muhammad Rafiq Ganai, Dr Muhammad Qasim Fakhtoo, Ghulam Qadir Butt, Dr Shafi Shariyatee, Showkat Hakeem, Assadullah Parrey, Merajuddin Nanda, Hayat Ahmad Butt, Feroz Ahmad Dar and Noor Muhammad Fayaz, remained in different jails of IIOJK and India under the black laws, Public Safety Act (PSA) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). At least 14 Kashmiri Muslim employees were suspended or terminated from their services by the BJP regime. At least, 72 properties including agricultural lands, house and shops were attached by the Modi regime in the territory to silence the voice for right to self-determination. The report said that in the month of December 2023 alone, Indian troops martyred seven Kashmiris and of those 3 in custody. At least 97 youth including women were arrested in the month. The report pointed out that since 5th August 2019, when Modi-led Hindutva government revoked the special status of IIOJK, Indian troopshave martyred 852 Kashmiris till date. It added that 96,285 Kashmiris have fallen to the Indian bullets and extra Judicial killing during the last 35 years in the occupied territory.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)