Kashmiri Muslims offer prayers on the sixth day of the holy fasting month of Ramzan at the Khanqah-e-Maula shrine in old Srinagar on March 28, 2023. , photo credit: Nisar Ahmed
For the first time since militancy began in the Valley 30 years ago, Kashmir has completed the most peaceful Ramzan, the holy month of Muslims, with not a single incident of law and order or terrorist attack being reported. The encounter graph also came down to almost zero with no casualties to terrorists or security forces.
According to official data, Ramzan – where Muslims fast from dawn to dusk – used to be very busy for security forces and Kashmir has seen a spurt in anti-militancy operations since the Center ended its special constitutional status in 2019.
This Ramzan, security forces and terrorists were engaged in just one encounter on April 12 at Chakura village in south Kashmir’s Shopian. However, after a brief encounter, three terrorists including two foreigners managed to escape from the encounter site.
Official figures suggested that terrorist attacks and encounters were recorded every second day of Ramzan in 2022. The figures suggested that at least 19 terrorists were killed in anti-militancy operations. Militants also attacked civilians, including four attacks on non-local laborers and Kashmiri Pandits in the month that killed two civilians. Two security personnel also lost their lives in the militant violence. More than 20 terrorists were killed during Ramzan in 2021.
For the first time since 2019, the administration allowed night-long prayers at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid on the occasion of Shab-e-Qadr. However, the administration did not allow the last Friday prayer. The decision to allow Namaz was also taken in the backdrop of the G20 meeting to be held in Kashmir next month.
“Operations have been intensified this year and crackdowns against supporters of militants, including ground workers, have strained the capabilities of terrorists,” said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity.
Official figures show that the number of active local militants has come down to 28-30, the lowest since 2020. Since 2019, around 200 terrorists, mostly local, have been active in a year.
In fact, this Ramzan proved to be more peaceful than the Ramzans when the government offered ceasefires in 2000 and 2018. The Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government unilaterally halted anti-terrorist operations for the period of Ramzan from 28 November 2000. However, 96 attacks on security forces were reported, in which 45 security personnel, 96 civilians and 61 terrorists were killed.
Calling off operations against terrorists in the 2018 Ramzan also failed to stop terrorist attacks. In 2018, on the day of Eid, an army soldier was abducted and murdered.