Srinagar, The Research Section of Kashmir Media Service has released a report detailing a sharp increase in human rights violations by Indian forces in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) since the revocation of the region’s special status by the Indian government in August 2019.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the report states that from August 5, 2019, until February 2024, Indian troops have been responsible for the martyrdom of 857 Kashmiris, including 28 young boys. High-profile figures such as Syed Ali Gilani, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, and Altaf Ahmed Shah are among the dozens who have died in custody during this period. The report further indicates that the use of excessive force has led to the critical injury of at least 2,416 individuals and noted the detrimental impact on the civilian population, with 65 women becoming widows and 180 children orphaned.
The report also highlighted the destruction of over 1,116 houses and structures, the molestation of 133 women, and the arrest of 22,490 people, including elderly women and girls, during operations by Indian forces. It underscores that the number of killings since the revocation of IIOJK’s special status has exceeded those in several previous years, with many victims killed in what the report calls “fake encounters” or in custody.
In February alone, 317 Kashmiris, mostly youth, were arrested, and three were injured. The report criticizes the Indian government’s actions following the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, which it claims have stripped away the Kashmiris’ unique identity and turned the region into an open-air prison.
The document accuses the Indian government of employing brutal tactics to suppress the Kashmiri demand for self-determination, including property confiscation and the dismissal of Muslim employees from government services. It claims that these measures, supported by the Hindutva BJP regime and security forces, are designed to coerce the Kashmiri population.
Despite these challenges, the report concludes that the Kashmiri people’s resolve for freedom remains unbroken. It calls for the international community to hold the Indian government accountable for its actions and to push for a resolution to the Kashmir dispute in line with the wishes of the Kashmiri people and the applicable UN resolutions.