Video By: Rayees Ahmed | Article By: Sajad Rasool
The Kashmir conflict has claimed thousands of lives in the past 30 years. The frequent gun battles between Kashmiri Militants and Indian forces result in not only killings of active combatants but the lives of civilians have become a regular causality. In order to hinder the operations against the militants, local civilians often pelt stones on Indian forces which result in killings and injuries. These gun-battles are not limited to this only, the houses of civilians are bombed to kill militants even though they carry light weapons, many bombs explode and some remain unexploded and littered around these encounter sites.
Musharaff Ahmed, a 10-year-old boy from Daramdora Shopian was killed after he found an unexploded shell from an encounter site in the village. He was severely injured while playing with the shell in his courtyard after this shell exploded and ripped him apart. He later died in the hospital. the video shows how littered shells and bombs take human lives and Army keeps these stray shell without clearing the place putting life in danger
Pertinently, on 15th December 2018, around 7 civilians were killed and many more injured in Sirnoo village when Indian forces opened fire on residents trying to disrupt a joint operation launched by the army and the police in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district in which three militants and a soldier died. The Army claims that ‘maximum restraint’ is being exercised during encounters.
The Indian authorities in Kashmir have been appealing civilians to stay away from the places of encounter, which the people have not followed. It is pertinent to mention here that on several occasions the Army chief of India has said that the Overground Workers of Militants and stone pelters will be dealt with sternly.
According to the data available on the Indian Home Ministry Website, the death toll for Militants and Army in the year 2018 has touched the highest point with 324 killings. However according to Jammu Kashmir
