Kishtwar clashes

The 2013 Kishtwar Riots, which claimed three lives and injured eighty more,^[1][2] took place between Muslim and Hindu communities on the aftermath of Eid festival on 9 August 2013 at Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir.

Initial clashes

A procession of Muslims after offering Eid prayers raised Anti-India slogans with Pakistani Flags which led to clashes^[3][4] which later spread to other parts of the district. People involved in the clashes initially started with stone pelting and later shops and houses were gutted.^[5] It is reported that more than 80 shops, a petrol pump, an oil tanker, some vehicles of the state police and fire department were torched in addition to government buildings.^[6] Home minister of the state of Jammu and Kashmir Sajad Ahmed Kitchloo was suspected to be involved in the beginning of the clashes.^[7]

Aftermath

9 August

• Curfew was immediately imposed on the area and several changes were made in the administrative positions.^[2][5]

10 August

• Clashes continued in Paddar, leaving three injured.^[8]
• The state government stopped traffic along the national highway from Lakhanpur to Banihal and towards Doda and Kishtwar in a bid to quell protests.^[4]
• Amarnath Yatra was cancelled owing to the tension in the district.^[9]
• J&K Government announced ex-gratia relief of 5 lakh to the kin of Aravind Kumar Bhagat.
• Educational Institution remained closed.^[8]

11 August

• Mobile phone and Internet communications are snapped.^[6]
• Curfew extended to Udhampur, Samba and Kathua along with Bhaderwah town in Doda affecting seven out of 10 districts of Jammu region.^[6]
• BJP Leader Arun Jaitley was prevented from entering Kishtwar.^[10]

12 August

• Fresh violence in Hidyal village of Kishtwar. 10 injured including an ASP.^[11]
• Minister of State for Home, Sajad Kitchloo resigned, following his alleged role in the clashes.^[12]

14 August

• 150 people, including some local Hurriyat leaders, were arrested as the police cracked down on miscreants responsible for violence in the region. Over 100 people involved in stone pelting and arson also arrested by the police from several parts of Jammu region^[13]
• Internet services for mobile phone and wi-fi users remained suspended for the fourth day across Jammu and Kashmir. Internet speeds for broadband services were reduced with a view to checking the upload of objectionable material on social networking sites.^[14]

15 August

• Curfew lifted in 7 districts of Jammu region except Kishtwar, where 4-hour morning relaxation was given^[15]

Arrests

As of 13 August, a total of 141 people have been taken into custody till now in connection with the incidents.^[16] Nearly 40 weapons looted from a Kishtwar arms shop also needed to be recovered.^[17]

Administrative Failure

Administrative failure is being cited as the reason for Kishtwar clashes. Central Security establishment raised questions like:^[17]

1. Low police strength
2. Wrong assessment of the gravity of situation
3. Failure to call in the two companies of Sashastra Seema Bal deployed in the area as reinforcement.
4. No deployment of CRPF in the district. CRPF, which has 60 companies in the state to maintain law and order, was called into Kishtwar on only the second day of the riots.

The home ministry, meanwhile, has issued an advisory asking J&K government to prevent violence from spreading further by deploying adequate forces in all parts of the state.

Reactions

Oh that's right they can't because their star PM hopeful waited days to call out the army & has yet to apologise. Hypocrites.

—Omar Abdullah, https://twitter.com/abdullah_omar/status/366835860580212736

During such processions, some hot-headed people always make demands of ‘azadi’. It happens virtually every Friday...Since information moves very fast these days, tension spread to other parts of the town. It became difficult for the police to control it. Then, the Army was called. The Army conducted a flag march at 5.30 pm and imposed strict curfews thereby bringing the situation under control,

—P. Chidambaram^[18]

When the riots occurred in Gujarat in 2002, the Army was not allowed inside. No one from outside was allowed to enter Ahmedabad. And Gujarat is not a property of Modi

—Farooq Abdullah^[18]

This is not a issue of communal disharmony. Flags of the neighbouring nation are not displayed during a communal clash in India, posters of death row terrorists are not displayed during a skirmish between two religious communities in India. This is an issue of the country’s sovereignty,

—Arun Jaitley^[18]

References