Fear in Jammu & Kashmir over surge in terror attacks

The visit came in the wake of a commitment by the Commission to adhere to the Supreme Court’s September 30 deadline for holding the polls (Photo: Election Commission of India/ X )

On Saturday, the three top officials of the Election Commission, including the Chief Election Commissioner and the two Commissioners, concluded their visit to Jammu and Kashmir, which had been organised for them to assess the current situation in the region and decide on the dates for holding assembly elections after a gap of five years and the first assembly elections in the truncated Union Territory since the abrogation of the Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.

The visit came in the wake of a commitment by the Commission to adhere to the Supreme Court’s September 30 deadline for holding the polls.

At the end of the visit, Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of J&K asserted that the elections would indeed be held before the deadline. However, the escalating violence that has gripped the territory over the past few months, is reportedly forcing a revaluation of the situation. This is despite the fact that J&K has witnessed all elections since 1989 under the shadow of gun, with much worse levels of violence.

The last Assembly polls to have been held in Jammu and Kashmir were in 2014 and the next elections were to be held in early 2019 following the dissolution of the legislative body of the erstwhile state in 2018. However, after the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into Union territories in August 2019, the Assembly polls could not be held due to various reasons, including a delimitation exercise completed in 2022.

Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took his oath for a third term on June 9, there has been a troubling surge in terror attacks across Jammu. On the very day of his swearing-in, an attack on a bus in the Reasi district of Jammu, claimed the lives of nine persons and injured 42 others and on June 11-12, two persons, allegedly foreign terrorists, and a CRPF official were killed in Kathua after an attack on a joint check post. The same day, an incident left five personnel of Rashtriya Rifles and a Special Police Officer injured in Doda district of Jammu. On June 12, a police officer was injured in an alleged terrorist attack in Doda. The violence escalated in the following months, with three persons, reportedly foreign terrorists, killed in a gunfight in Doda on June 26.

The violence continued into July, with four army personnel, including an officer, killed in a gunfight in Doda on July 15, and five army personnel killed and as many injured after alleged terrorists ambushed an army truck in Kathua on July 8. Just a day earlier, on July 7, an army personnel was injured in an attack on a security post in Rajouri, while eight people, including six alleged terrorists, were killed in twin encounters in Kulgam.

This wave of violence followed previous attacks, including the death of one IAF personnel and injuries to five others in Poonch on May 4, and the killing of a village defence guard in Udhampur on April 28, underscoring the escalating security challenges in Jammu since Modi’s third term began.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has claimed a 70 pc decline in terrorism-related cases, an 81 pc reduction in civilian deaths and a 48 pc decrease in security personnel fatalities and attributed these ‘improvements’ to Modi’s initiatives.

“This shows that a new era of happiness and peace has begun in J&K,” Shah had said after launching an e-bus service in Jammu some weeks ago.

But the situation on ground is different, J&K has witnessed 68 killings in the first seven months of 2024, a rise from 62 in the same period the previous year. The fatalities included 17 civilians, 17 security personnel and 34 militants, indicating that serious security challenges persist.

Varinder Singh Sonu

“On the one hand, the government claims that terrorism was wiped out with the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, but on the other, new areas, even the hitherto peaceful Jammu region, are witnessing growing terror activities. This is a failure of the government’s approach. The government needs to stop playing politics and focus on truly eradicating terrorism to ensure the safety and well-being of our people,” S Varinder Singh Sonu, Spokesperson of People’s Democratic Party, tells Media India Group.

For years, Jammu remained relatively unscathed by the militant activities that plagued the Kashmir Valley. However, post-2019 and the abrogation of Article 370, there has been a noticeable shift in the pattern of violence, with Jammu becoming a new focal point for terror activities. This change has sent alarm bells ringing within India’s security establishment. The previously stable region now grapples with the grim realities of escalating violence, significantly altering the threat landscape.

This escalation in violence has destabilised the area, raising serious concerns about security and stability.

According to South Asia Terrorism Portal, from 2020 to August 2024, 548 terror attacks have happened, killing 128 civilians including 180 security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir.

“We are living in constant fear. We don’t know when or where the next attack will happen. This uncertainty and anxiety have become a part of our daily lives. The government claims that the abrogation of Article 370 has restored normalcy, but for us, this is far from normal.

The increase in terror activities, even in previously peaceful areas, contradicts the government’s statements. How can they call this normalcy when we are scared to step out of our homes, fearing for our lives? The government’s assurances feel hollow when the ground reality is so different. We need real, effective measures to combat terrorism and ensure our safety, not just political rhetoric,” Priya Singh, a 29-year-old housewife from Kathua in Jammu tells Media India Group.

In the past 32 months, 70 people, including 52 security personnel and 18 civilians have been killed in terror incidents in Jammu region only.

While the ruling establishment projects an image of a transformed “Naya Kashmir” (new Kashmir) marked by development and peace, for many residents, the notion of “Naya Kashmir” seems distant, overshadowed by the daily threat of violence and instability.

“Is this what the government calls ‘Naya Kashmir’? Here, we are suffering day and night. We can’t step out because of fear, and we don’t let our children go to school because of the constant threat. Our lives are filled with anxiety and uncertainty. Every day, we hear about new attacks, and it is hard to feel safe even in our own homes. The promises of peace and development feel hollow when we are living in fear. This is not the ‘Naya Kashmir’ we were promised. Our reality is far from it, and we desperately need real change and security,” Abdul Khaliq, a resident of Kathua Jammu tells Media India Group.

Locals are gripped by fear and uncertainty and remain skeptical that the security situation will allow for free and fair elections to be held soon. The memories of recent attacks in Jammu and ongoing threats make many wonder if the elections will be postponed once again, dashing hopes for restoration of democracy after over six years of Central rule.

“We hope elections won’t be postponed due to the current situation. Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed all elections since 1989 under the shadow of the gun, often in much worse conditions. Despite the challenges, people have always come out to vote, showing their resilience and desire for democratic governance. Postponing the elections now would only undermine this spirit and delay the much-needed political process. It is crucial that the Election Commission considers this historical context and ensures that the elections proceed as planned, despite the security concerns,” Zahid Malik, a resident of Reasi, another district in Jammu region, tells Media India Group.