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Kashmir: Life under siege

A month of near total lockdown on Kashmir is marked by mass arrests, torture and halt to economic activity.

Indian paramilitary troops patrol the streets amid the clampdown after the government abrogated Article 370 that granted special status to the only Muslim-majority region. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
Indian paramilitary troops patrol the streets amid the clampdown after the government abrogated Article 370 that granted special status to the only Muslim-majority region. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
By 
Syed Shahriyar
5 Sep 2019

Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir – The disputed Kashmir region has been under siege since its special status guaranteed by India’s constitution was scrapped on August 5.

Thousands have been arrested, including both pro-Indian and separatist leaders, in unprecedented security swoop.

To pre-empt mass protests, tens of thousands of forces have been deployed in one of the most militarised zones in the world.

Internet service has been suspended, mobile and landline phones have been snapped and there are reports of a shortage of medicines as the crippling lockdown continues.

Kashmiri women holding placards shout pro-freedom slogans as they take part in a protest march after Friday prayers in Soura area of Srinagar on August 23. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
Kashmiri women holding placards shout pro-freedom slogans as they take part in a protest march after Friday prayers in Soura area of Srinagar on August 23. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
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Indian police and paramilitary soldiers fire tear gas and pellets as they chase demonstrators during protests on the outskirts of Srinagar. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
Indian police and paramilitary soldiers fire tear gas and pellets as they chase demonstrators during protests on the outskirts of Srinagar. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
Rehman Dar holds a portrait of his son, Bilal Ahmad Dar, who was picked up by government forces from his house during a midnight raid in Kareemabad village of south Kashmir. Bilal was charged under Public Safety Act, but his father says his son has had no criminal charges and has been picked on fake charges for stone-throwing. According to media reports more than 4,000 people have been arrested since August 5. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
Rehman Dar holds a portrait of his son, Bilal Ahmad Dar, who was picked up by government forces from his house during a midnight raid in Kareemabad village of south Kashmir. Bilal was charged under Public Safety Act, but his father says his son has had no criminal charges and has been picked on fake charges for stone-throwing. According to media reports more than 4,000 people have been arrested since August 5. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
Firdous Ahmad (name changed) was picked up at 12:30am on August 6 - the first night after the Article 370 was removed - from a south Kashmir village along with 12 other men of the same village. The 22-year-old student was allegedly beaten by Indian force. He added that the forces slapped him more than a hundred times and thrashed him by using sticks and cables. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
Firdous Ahmad (name changed) was picked up at 12:30am on August 6 - the first night after the Article 370 was removed - from a south Kashmir village along with 12 other men of the same village. The 22-year-old student was allegedly beaten by Indian force. He added that the forces slapped him more than a hundred times and thrashed him by using sticks and cables. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
Family members attend Munifa Nazir at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh hospital in Srinagar on August 17. The six-year-old girl from Safakadal was hurt in the right eye after paramilitary forces targeted her with a slingshot on Eid day when she was out with her uncle. A relative attending her said she is unable to see from her right eye. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
Family members attend Munifa Nazir at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh hospital in Srinagar on August 17. The six-year-old girl from Safakadal was hurt in the right eye after paramilitary forces targeted her with a slingshot on Eid day when she was out with her uncle. A relative attending her said she is unable to see from her right eye. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
People in Rajbagh area of Srinagar wait to make calls at a voluntary temporary telephone booth set up amid communication blackout. Yasmeen, the owner of the space (a travel agency), says she started the free service after people were facing problems in contacting their family members living outside Kashmir. Around 400 people use the landline phone daily, she said. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
People in Rajbagh area of Srinagar wait to make calls at a voluntary temporary telephone booth set up amid communication blackout. Yasmeen, the owner of the space (a travel agency), says she started the free service after people were facing problems in contacting their family members living outside Kashmir. Around 400 people use the landline phone daily, she said. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
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Muhammad Ayoub, an autorickshaw driver, sells petrol outside his house in Rainawari area of Srinagar. 'I used to earn a handsome amount of money by riding autorickshaw in the city but now I have no option other than this to feed my family,' Ayoub said. 'We saw many unrest in Kashmir in the past but this time it is something different. It's about the land and our identity,' he said. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
Muhammad Ayoub, an autorickshaw driver, sells petrol outside his house in Rainawari area of Srinagar. 'I used to earn a handsome amount of money by riding autorickshaw in the city but now I have no option other than this to feed my family,' Ayoub said. 'We saw many unrest in Kashmir in the past but this time it is something different. It's about the land and our identity,' he said. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
Women holding wooden sticks sit on a street during clashes with forces in Anchaar Soura area of Srinagar. Jalla begum, middle, says we are here to protect our boys from the security forces. She said that forces carry out raid at our places every night. Hundreds of young boys guard Anchaar in the night to stop troops from entering the locality to avoid arrests. The area has emerged as a hotbed of protests. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
Women holding wooden sticks sit on a street during clashes with forces in Anchaar Soura area of Srinagar. Jalla begum, middle, says we are here to protect our boys from the security forces. She said that forces carry out raid at our places every night. Hundreds of young boys guard Anchaar in the night to stop troops from entering the locality to avoid arrests. The area has emerged as a hotbed of protests. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
Journalists wait for their turns to access the internet at the media facilitation centre set up by the government. Five computers with internet connections are available for journalists. A freelance photographer waiting for his turn to file pictures says it takes a lot of time to send pictures. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
Journalists wait for their turns to access the internet at the media facilitation centre set up by the government. Five computers with internet connections are available for journalists. A freelance photographer waiting for his turn to file pictures says it takes a lot of time to send pictures. [Syed Shahriyar/Al Jazeera]
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