Kashmir, were normalcy word is redefined in the colours of bloodbath, curfews, disappearances etc. Life over here vegetates in the trepidation, under the shadow of the gun that has destroyed as many roses. Reports of there yet again, one more killed are frequent and the tot up of killings is on. Being more precise, another life was put to death for reason apparently best known to them. The situation in the valley is back to square one, from where we started. Everything is silent except the guns which keep blazing all the time. Every now and then the squeaky-clean, innocent populace are put to death cold-bloodedly. The incidents of killing innocent people keep circling in the valley from one place to another, from Bandipore to Ganderbal via kupwara to Shopiyan through budgam and the authorities have a get-away quote “We won’t spare the guilty.
It seems that “unknown gunmen” is off shelf for the oppressor as they have developed “stray bullet’ the latest get away strategy for them. Although these bullets always find their target, be it the old lady sleeping in home or the tragic death of a six-year-old girl or a lady working on her vegetable patch. The SOP [standard operating procedure] says to fire below the waist, but on ground it is perceived via prism of shooting at sight. Every stray bullet had its target above the specified which shows the credibility of sop’s followed .It hardly has anything to do with shoot to keep people at bay but appears they are in process of taming or grinding down the entire populace.
It happened in shopian few weeks back, then in pulwama and yesterday it was Chadoora where stray bullets were actually shown their targets. Mother’s little one had died a silent death in kupwara, while another teenager had tasted the same fate in pulwama. Be an elderly from shopian or a teenage from Arwani or a lady working in her field from other part of valley these stray bullets have always gone straight to target. Every now and then the stray bullet hits straight dripping more innocent blood and the pin-down strategy is washed off.
The stray bullets are doing rounds in the valley killing the innocent. Lives that are precious are lost in the conflict, it hardly matters whose bullet it was that hit the soul. Down the line seeing the unvoiced 6 year old kid, and only son of an old father, or a beloved mother getting killed the entire populace is crippled. One’s heart wrenches and soul doesn’t abide the scruple. We in the valley raise our children not be killed at the onset, but to grow old with them. Alas the current scenario is such that flowers are crippled before their onset, parents grow old for their children in gloominess of lost one.
Even in the blooming spring the doldrums of despair, hopelessness prevail in the alienated valley. With a mere stray bullet now take civilian lives in the Valley, the spring in Kashmir has brought, hapless cries, tearful scenes, terror and brutal tragedies. Killing of three innocent lives in Chadoora yesterday depicts the endeavours of the oppressor. They are dashing the buds by crushing them even before their bloom which further alienates the rest of populace. Those who are out for shoot to kill skill and rename it as stray bullet strategy need to pounder where they are heading. Such is the ambiance of the state that the stray bullet kills an innocent and the law and order governing body restrict them to be taken for burial. How will be justice expected in such a scenario when the law itself is anarchic and radical. The denial of basic rights is common and even dead aren’t spared in the process.
The state govt has completely botched in handling the alienation of the populace although it came in power by perusing the agenda of solving the complex issue of the state. People aren’t completely pessimistic about the serving representatives but then the blackboard of Govt doesn’t reflect any sanguinity. At times when the serving Govt pitches for the youth in their every now and then speeches and statements but the writing on the board remains the same for the common Kashmiri “stray bullets are straight targeted”. New Delhi and the so called State Govt should understand that no compensation or mere condemn can pay-off the killings of the common populace. Every single govt publicizes for peace process but pays no heed to the course of action.
The only course of action they follow is by people-ling the empty streets by khaki-clad, lathi and machine gun-carrying soldiers; blocking roads by rolls of razor wire are like some dystopian tumbleweed. Young people’s lives and futures are kept on hold indefinitely. If killings of guiltless citizens prolong then how come a peaceful environment will persist. No one in the valley brims in joy over the tragic loss of life be it on any side. But toot-up killing and mere strategy change is never going to do any good to anyone. The standing operating procedures needs to be checked thoroughly and in name of law and order no killing can be justified.
It is better to form a new circle to keep in check and address the aspirations of the angry youth, showering bullets and pellets in the name of law and order will do no good to anyone. It will overturn the tables a throw a new challenge to the govt then. Govt needs to act and act fast to avoid such calamities in future. Follow the standard operating procedure while dealing with rebels, engaging youth with dialogues, stop tearing down the innocent lives. The restrain strategy is much better than retaliating with bullets and latter adopting stray bullet approach. Understanding the feeling the youth of state undergo, the Govt can reach out to them and chalk the plans to avoid loss of innocent blood. Much of blood has been lost in the summer unrest, people are still battling with the terrified memories, no one wants bloodbath. These unknown and stray bullets need to be put lid on so that lives are saved...
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