Unable to go home for Eid, Kashmiris fear for their families

Shimla/Srinagar: Contrary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assurance during his address to the nation on Thursday, Kashmiris in Shimla are not being able to go to their native places to celebrate Eid with their families.

A day after PM Modi's assurance that those staying outside Kashmir would be provided every possible help to reach their homes for the Eid celebrations, Kashmiris working in Himachal Pradesh's capital said they were not allowed to go beyond Jammu.

A resident of Anantnag, Irshad Ahmed, told PTI that around 30 Kashmiris had left for their homes in two tempo-travellers around 7 am on Wednesday, a day before the PM's address, but they were not allowed to go beyond Jammu.

"We talked to them over mobile phone at 10 pm on Thursday. They informed us that security forces didn't allow them go beyond Nagrota in Jammu district," he added.

Irshad and his brother Parvej came to Shimla about seven years ago, where their father Bashir Ahmed is staying for over three decades. They work as coolies.

They, along with around 400 Kashmiris, are staying at Jama Masjid near Mall Road in Shimla.

At present, around 7,000 Kashmiris are living in the state capital.

A majority of them work as labourers. Some of them run dhabas and tea shops.

"We go to our homes in Kashmir to celebrate Eid with our families every year but this time, we are unable to go there," said Farooq Ahmed of Pulwama district.

Besides, they are worried about their families.

"We are unable to talk to our families for over a week as telecom services have been suspended in the Valley. If the government has taken this step (revocation of provisions of Article 370 and 35-A) for our welfare, then why they have suspended telecom services," said aged Gulam Hasan.

Mohd Amin Ahmed, who runs a mobile shop outside Jama Masjid, said telecom services should immediately be restored in Kashmir.

Born and brought up in Shimla, 40-year-old Shabnam Gohar is worried about her relatives in Srinagar.

A well-educated daughter of the owner of Naaz Dhaba in Jama Masjid, Shabnam said, "I am concerned about my sister who is working with the SBI and was shifted to Srinagar from Chandigarh. She left for Srinagar on August 5 when provisions of Article 370 were revoked. We don't know about her whereabouts."

As far as the government decision is concerned, they gave a mixed response.

Feroze Ahmed said "It seems the government wants Kashmiri land, not us. They should have consulted people before taking the step."

Ishfaq Ahmed said he was not hopeful of Modi bringing any development to the Valley.

On the other hand, Mohd Amin Ahmed fully favoured the government decision.

Saying that only two or three political families of Kashmir drew benefit from the revoked provisions, he hoped that peace would prevail in the Valley and a new era of development would begin.

Restrictions eased

Restrictions were eased to allow people in Kashmir to offer Friday prayers in local mosques, officials said on Friday as security forces were put on high alert across the Valley in an apparent move to prevent possible protests.

The decision to ease the restrictions was taken after National Security Advisor Ajit Doval directed authorities to ensure that no Kashmiris were harassed, they said.

Security forces have been put on high alert across the Kashmir Valley pre-empting possible protests against the scraping of special status to Jammu and Kashmir and dividing it into two union territories, another set of officials said.

The decision was taken as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order, a day after restrictions in some parts of the civil lines areas of the city and Dal Lake were relaxed to allow free movement of people, they said.

"In view of expected gathering of people at mosques for Friday prayers, there is apprehension of mass protests and accordingly necessary steps were taken to ensure peace," a security official said earlier in the day.

He said the restrictions under prohibitory orders, which are in place, are being implemented strictly especially in sensitive localities and trouble-prone areas.

The clampdown in Kashmir was imposed on Monday, hours before the Centre revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status and split it into two union territories - Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir.

Security forces have been deployed in massive numbers across the Valley, particularly in Srinagar city and major towns, and barricades have been erected every 100 metres and only people allowed to pass are those with medical emergencies.

All telephone and internet connections have been snapped in the Valley and only three news channels, including state-run Doordarshan, can be accessed through cable TV networks.

Reports of violence

While the officials are maintaining that the situation in Kashmir is "comfortable", sporadic incidents of small groups of youth throwing stones at security forces have taken place in many parts of the city including Bagh-e-Mehtab, Natipora, Rambagh, Barzulla, Noorbagh and Bemina.

One person has reportedly died due to drowning in Noorbagh area of the city after he was chased by forces during protests there.

Local residents had stocked up essentials like food grains, fuel and medicines in the run-up to the Monday's announcement by the Home Minister Amit Shah in the Rajya Sabha.

During easing of restrictions in some parts of the city especially in civil line areas on Thursday, the movement of the people remained thin, while a few shops mostly selling vegetables and medicines opened.

Some stone-pelting incidents were also reported at a few places but the mobs were chased away by police and paramilitary personnel, the officials said.