First peaceful Ramzan in Kashmir since 1990

A senior police official said that stepped-up operations this year and actions against militants’ supporters have impacted the capabilities of the militants

Kashmiri Muslims offer prayers on the sixth day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan at Khanqah-e-Moula Shrine in old Srinagar on March 28, 2023. | Photo Credit: NISSAR AHMAD

Kashmir has completed the most peaceful Ramzan, the holy month of Muslims, for the first time since the militancy broke out in the Valley 30 years ago, with not a single incident of law and order or militant attack reported. The encounter graph also dropped to almost zero, with no militant or security forces’ casualty recorded.

According to official figures, Ramzan — where Muslims fast from dawn to dusk — used to be very busy for the security forces and saw a spike in anti-militancy operations in Kashmir since the Centre ended its special constitutional position in 2019.

This Ramzan, security forces and militants engaged in just one encounter on April 12 in Shopian’s Chakoora village in south Kashmir. However, after a brief encounter, three militants, including two foreigners, managed to escape from the gunfight spot.

Official figures suggested militants’ attacks and encounters were recorded every second day of Ramzan in 2022. Figures suggested that at least 19 militants were killed in anti-militancy operations. Militants also attacked civilians, including four attacks on non-local labourers and Kashmiri Pandits in the month, leaving two civilians dead. Two security forces also lost their lives in militant violence. Over 20 militants were killed during Ramzan in 2021.

First time since 2019, the administration allowed nightlong prayers at Jamia Masjid in Srinagar on the occasion of Shab-e-Qadr. However, the adminsitration disallowed the last Friday prayers. The decision to allow the prayers had also come in the backdrop of the G20 meeting being held in Kashmir next month.

“The stepped-up operations this year and the actions against militants’ supporters, including overground workers, have impacted the capabilities of the militants,” a senior police official said on condition of anonymity.

Official figures suggest that the figure of active local militants has come down to 28-30, lowest since 2020. Since 2019, around 200 militants, mostly locals, have been active in a year.

In fact, this Ramzan proved to be more peaceful compared to the Ramzans when the government offered a ceasefire in 2000 and 2018. The Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government unilaterally halted anti-militancy operations for the Ramzan period from November 28, 2000. However, 96 attacks were reported on security forces, leaving 45 security personnel, 96 civilians and 61 militants dead.

The 2018 Ramzan cessation of operations against militants also failed to stop militant attacks. An Army jawan was kidnapped and killed on Eid in 2018.