Srinagar, 30 March 2022: Two Kashmiris were killed on Wednesday by Indian security forces in Rainawari area of Srinagar of the Indian Administered Kashmir, Indian officials said.
One of the slained Kashmiri, Rayees Ahmad Bhat, based on his ID, was editor in chief of Valley Media Service.
According to Indian Gov news agency PTI, Indian Security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the area of the district following inputs about the presence of insurgents. It was alleged that during search the hiding insurgents fired upon the security forces, which retaliated. Insurgents were killed during the gunfight, an Indian official said. Validity of the Indian security forces’ statement has not been verified by independent sources.
Jammu and Kashmir joined India through an Instrument of Accession on 26 October 1947, with the provision of a special status to use its own statute and flag. Pakistan disputed this accession. India took this matter to the UN Security Council, which passed resolution 39 (1948), established the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP), asked Government of India to reduce its forces to minimum strength, placed United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to monitor the cease-fire line, and mandated a plebiscite.
However, due to mistreatment by the Indian security forces, many Kashmiris want to separate from India, and their groups are fighting for independence.
Contrary to UN resolution 39 (1948), there are more than half a million Indian Security forces currently stationed in Jammu and Kashmir.
In August 2019, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah told parliament that Article 370 of the constitution, which was added to reflect Instrument of Accession, to give agreed autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir had been abolished and a measure came into force "at once".
Human rights organisations have claimed constant human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir, a disputed territory administered by India, including mass killings, forced disappearances, torture, rape and sexual abuse for political repression and suppression of freedom of speech.
UN human rights report on Kashmir in June 2018 has called for international inquiry into ongoing human rights violations and abuses in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Rights Groups referred in Wikipedia; about “100,000 people have died since 1989 while the official figures from Indian sources state the estimates of number of civilians killed due to the insurgency in the range of 16,725 to 47,000”.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in its Foreign Ministers Meet in March 2019, adopted a resolution on Jammu and Kashmir, condemning the “atrocities and human rights violations” in the state.
The resolution on Kashmir used phrases such as “Indian terrorism” and “mass blindings” by Indian security forces on protesting youths.
