Handwara incident

The Handwara firing incident refers to the death of civilians due to firing of the Indian security personnel in the Handwara city of Jammu and Kashmir state which occurred on 12 April 2016 and the subsequent clashed of protesters with the forces

Incident

On 12 April 2016, in the Handwara town of Kupwara district of Indian administered state of Jammu and Kashmir, a girl student was allegedly molested by her classmates who later on alleged that an army personnel from 21 Rashtriya Rifles molested her. Protesting at the incident, protesters pelted stone. The mob also ransacked the army bunker in Handwara Chowk and tried to put it on fire. The army retaliated by firing in which two civilians named Iqbal Ahmad and Nayeem Bhatt were killed. At least six civilians were also injured.^[1][2]

One of the victims Nayeem Bhatt had participated in the India U19 cricket camp, and was the first player to be selected from the Kupwara region. Bhatt reportedly stopped at the protest incident to take a photograph with his mobile phone.^[3] The second victim Iqbal was declared dead when he was admitted to a hospital.^[4]

Aftermath

People protested over the incident in various parts of the Kashmir valley. Four civilians were injured when secuirity forces fired on protesters pelting stones at the army camp of Natnusa. As of 19 April five people died when forces fired upon protesters in Handwara.^[5]

Though an FIR was registered against the army in the Handwara police station, Rajeev Ranjan, the District Development Commissioner Kupwara said that there were conflicting information about whether the police or the army started the fire.^[6]

Restrictions were imposed in some parts of the valley and mobile internet services were also suspended.^[7] On 19 April, the mobile internet services were restored and restrictions were lifted from some parts of the valley.^[8]

Reactions

India

• Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said that the victims' family would be compensated. She also said that actions will be taken against "those who were involved".^[6] She also stated that civilians should not be harmed while implementing "law and order".^[9]
• Separatist groups in Jammu and Kashmir declared a general strike on 13 April. Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the leader of the Hurriyat Conference declared it as "state terrorism at its peak". Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Yasin Malik said that the incident showed the "brutal face of Indian government".^[10] Sikh organization Dal Khalsa said that Jammu and Kashmir government whether led by National Conference or People's Democratic Party had surrendered their "moral and constitutional authority" to Indian government.^[11]
• Commander of the Northern Command General DS Hooda said that the incident was "highly regrettable".^[12] Army issued a statement saying that the army "regrets the unfortunate loss of life".^[1]
• Minister of Parliament from Bihar Pappu Yadav denounced the killings and said that he would raise the issue at the Indian parliament.^[11]
• The Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir expressed their "deep concern and anguish" over the incident. They said that such use of force was continuing from 1947 and gained momentum after the insurgency in the nineties.^[13]

References