I often think about the future of the people of Jammu & Kashmir and as such keep eye on the contemporary issues prevailing in my society. Though ethnicity has been used as counter-espionage but it didn’t prove long lasting. Kashmir was famous for its brotherhood, hospitality and meticulousness but unfortunately all has changed suddenly as people became rebel minded, depressed and unconscious by the ill behaviour of the people at helm and the main target is Jammu & Kashmir Police(JKP), the own people, own blood of the soil, our own brothers. They carry out the orders of the people at the hem to silence dissenting voices why? They are a part of this society, they have families here, they have also their children .No doubt, JKP played an important role since 1873 under the Motto of “A SAGA OF SACRIFICE AND COURAGE”. The JKP was formed to control crimes and take care of law and order situations, Alas, it has transmigrated now. No one can forget their sacrifice in awakening the society as they controlled the crime rates, drug trafficking and resolved many complex cases across the state .They were well known for their self-sacrificing, bravery and forever patriotism. We shouldn’t forget that there is “Divide and Rule” Policy in Kashmir.
The dissent among the police ranks started on April 21, 1993 at the Hazratbal Dargah where the army allegedly shot one of the Constable, Riyaz Ahmad son of Sannaullah Ganai (11th Battalion JKAP) a resident of Dumpora Inderkoot Sumbal area of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district. The constable was posted at Hazratbal Shrine had gone to Ganderbal Treasury to draw his salary on that fateful day of 21 April 1993. As he returned back to Hazratbal, militants attacked on an army party and in retaliation army killed at least six civilians including Reyaz. The killing of Constable Reyaz sparked off the agitation in the police department which took the government by surprise and the agitating cops took to street in Srinagar city brandishing their service rifles. A top IPS cadre officer K. Rajendra Kumar was the SSP Srinagar that time, when the police officials marched with their arms from the Lal Chowk to the United Nations office Sonwar.
It was the time when the police force in the Valley took to the streets and shouting pro freedom,”AADHI ROTI KHAAYENGE, KASHMIR KO AAZAD KARWAYENGE”. The revolting offices then took over the Police Control Room (PCR) and many efforts were made to resolve the anger, but nothing happened. The then SSP Srinagar was also transferred thinking it might save the trouble, but all in vain, The then Director General Police B.S Bedi, who had gone on a vacation that time, too was immediately summoned to Srinagar. The rebel policemen then took the state Home Secretary hostage, as they were in no mood for joining talks with government and did not wish to step back and the situation could have led to mass bloodshed. The army officials soon came up with a plan, where in one group of Army men was sent in from the front gate of the Police Control Room Building. Expecting the possible invasion only from the front door, the rebels did not expect the army to be present at the backdoor too.
On April 28, it was over at 4:30 A.M, after breaking outer wall of the Police Control Room with the help of armoured cars the army disarmed 1500 Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police personnel who had revolted against Government. There were no casualties, The army, led by Brigadier K Pandya, has expected between 50 to 100 casualties because the policemen had dismissed all appeals for surrender and instead choose to shout defiantly. They were shouting slogans “we are not traitors and won’t come out”. The agitation was so effective that many other departments were also engulfed in it like Jammu and Kashmir Bank the premier financial institution of the state. The unity was at its best and of course it was a challenging situation. Then an ordinary Security guard of JKAP challenged the IGP SURI with harsh words and angrily said that “you should leave the place (Police Control Room), it will be good for you”.
History was trying to be repeated when six Jammu and Kashmir Policemen, including a middle rung officer were assaulted by a group of Army men dressed in civvies who also barged into a police station in Central Kashmir Gund area of Ganderbal and vandalised the records there. Interestingly these police men were saved by locals of that place, so where is law and order? Where are bullets and pellets? Where is enquiry ? I could argue that these were the poor policemen not the officers of any rank who were beaten by army ruthlessly.
In short here in Kashmir everything is worth possible. The supremacy and efficiency of the police is being challenged. The policemen are the target of both the sides.I nfact they seems to be most brutalised and powerless class in Kashmir. The slogen “A saga of Sacrifice and courage” is being challenged. Majority of the people expressed their happiness on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter , they didn’t condemn. Why? Because the role played by the Jammu and Kashmir Police from last few years is totally brutal and brutish towards their own people . Within the passage of time gap between the people of Kashmir and the police is fastly increasing. Police has to reconstruct its independent approach and should think critically about its own role in the matters of the state because there are numerous incidents where they have been beaten and kicked by the central government’s paramilitary forces. It’s role has been merged, hijacked and filched. On one hand their social morality has demoted as nowadays society looks at them totally in a different way. This is why they are finding themselves in trouble and feel insecure in their own society. Time has changed now.Everyone has a right to live with liberty and all should do it to make the Jammu & Kashmir a progressive state.
(The author presently studying International Relations, Peace and Conflict studies at IUST, Awantipora has mailed this article to “Kashmir Horizon”. The views expressed by the author are his personal but not of “Kashmir Horizon”)
