Srinagar: A new report by Kashmir Media Service outlines severe human rights abuses in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir under five years of President’s Rule, documenting the deaths of 933 Kashmiris, including 17 women and 31 young boys, from October 31, 2019, to October 13, 2024. The period, marked by increased militarization and suppression, witnessed widespread extrajudicial killings, torture, and arbitrary detentions.
According to Kashmir Media Service, these five years have seen a stark increase in violence perpetrated by Indian forces. The documented abuses include 240 deaths in fake encounters or police custody, highlighting a grim pattern of alleged extrajudicial executions and systemic torture. The report also accuses Indian authorities of violations of international humanitarian law, including attacks on civilians and the targeting of essential services like medical facilities and schools.
The detailed findings also cover mass arrests and detentions post-August 5, 2019, when President’s Rule was first imposed by India’s BJP government following the revocation of the region’s autonomous status. High-profile Kashmiri leaders and thousands of youths, civil society members, and businessmen have been detained, many under stringent anti-terrorism laws without formal charges or trials.
The report also criticizes the Indian government’s efforts to alter the demographic composition of the Muslim-majority region by issuing domicile certificates to non-Kashmiri migrants and redrawing electoral constituencies. Such policies, it claims, are aimed at diluting the indigenous Kashmiri presence in favor of non-native settlers.
Despite the official end of President’s Rule on October 13, 2024, the legacy of these policies continues to affect the region deeply. The report calls for international intervention to address the ongoing human rights crisis and support Kashmiri demands for a plebiscite as stipulated in UN resolutions.
The human rights situation in Kashmir remains a contentious issue, with local journalists facing increasing restrictions and harassment under the BJP’s media policies introduced in 2020. The international community is urged to scrutinize India’s governance of the region closely, considering the severe implications for regional stability and international human rights standards.