While Zubin Mehta-led concert concluded successfully under heavy security in Kashmir’s Shalimar garden on Saturday evening, the rest of Kashmir remained on a boil as four people got killed and several others injured in three separate incidents of violence amid a complete shutdown sponsored by separatists.
Four people, including a suspected militant, were killed in south Kashmir’s Shopian district. Inspector General of CRPF Nalin Prabhat said militants attacked a camp of their 14th battalion in Gagren area, 50 kms from here. “They tried to flee, but our alert troops retaliated and killed all three of them,” he said. He added that some arms and ammunition have also been recovered.
But a police statement later said only two of those killed were militants while the others were civilians — identified as Towseef Ahmed Bhat and Mohammad Yousuf. Massive protests erupted in the area soon after the incident. Protesters shouted anti-India and pro-Pakistan slogans. Police fired teargas shells when the protesters ransacked the Deputy Commissioner’s office in the area. later curfew was imposed in the volatile town. No militant group has said its members were involved in the attack. The police say the phone recovered from the unidentified militants had been used by members of the lashkar-e-Tayyeba militant group.
In another incident, 11 personnel of Jammu & Kashmir police and one civilian were wounded when militants hurled a hand grenade on a security force deployed near district hospital at Pulwama in south Kashmir this afternoon. Hizbul Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack. Even when the concert was going on, policeman opened fire at a car at Badshah chowk in the heart of city. The driver of the car was reportedly hit by a bullet in the leg and was shifted to the SMHS hospital.
The locals said the police firing was unprovoked. Scores of residents swarmed the streets and shouted anti-government slogans. Police used batons to disperse the crowd. Meanwhile, entire Kashmir Valley observed a shutdown against the Zubin Mehta concert. Hardlien separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani had called for the shutdown saying such an international concert can’t be held in a disputed region.
A group of civil society members and organisations held a parallel concert called Haqeeqat-e-Kashmir or the Reality of Kashmir at Municipal Park. In the beginning, the authorities were reluctant to allow public gathering but in the afternoon, hundreds of people gathered to reflect “real Kashmir situation”.
The concert held to depict the pain and agony people of Kashmir have been going through over past two and a half decades was allowed to a restricted audience despite Chief Minister’s public statement that Government had no objection to the concert.
But on ground, all the roads leading to Sher-e-Kashir Park had been sealed and wired barricades put in place to block people from visiting the venue. Only news persons besides a small group of citizens -- including organisers of the show and civil society members -- were allowed to attend the show. In the first place, police, at specially erected check points told the visitors that their movement would be allowed after 2 pm. But even at 5pm, police personnel did not allow common visitors to the place. With rushes of anger running on their faces, a slight argument with police was sure to bring trouble for the arguer. A police constable seemed well equipped with the authority of over-ruling Chief Minister’s public statement, and send back people.
It was a moment of emotions, tears and wails for those who managed to reach the venue. The organisers put their hearts out to explain the reasons that made them to hold the show. “Zuben Mehta’s concert is to mislead the world opinion that all is good in Kashmir. Our show is to counter the sinister designs,” said one of the organisers. “Kashmir has lost a generation over the past 25 years. Thousands have been subjected to forced disappearances, thousands arrested, maimed and tortured in custody. Every individual in Kashmir is a sufferer. The suffering go on and the perpetrators are rewarded and awarded”, he said. “How come this could be made up with a music show”, he went on. “We are here to project the sufferings people of Kashmir have been reeling under”, he said and atmosphere turning melancholic with every word he uttered.
However, Geelani and a battery of other separatist leaders were under house-arrest. Mirwaiz has called for a daylong strike on Sunday against Shopian killings.