Shortage of food, medicine in IoK as curfew enters 29th day

SRINAGAR (92 News) – As the curfew in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK) has entered in the 29th day on Monday, the life has become more miserable and multiplied after the shortage of food and medicine. According to the KMS, the Kashmir valley remains cut off from the rest of the world since August 05 due to continued blockade and suspension of internet, mobile and landline services and closure of TV channels. Publication of local newspapers remains suspended. People are facing acute shortage of life-saving medicines, essential commodities including baby food as nine million Kashmiris are besieged while Jammu and Kashmir has become a big jail for its inhabitants. The shops and business establishments continue to remain shut and schools, too, remain empty of students amid the authorities’ claims that they had opened the primary, middle and high schools in the territory. Indian forces are using drones equipped with hi-resolution cameras and night vision devices for the surveillance of protests and other pro-freedom activities in restive Kashmir, a senior police official confirmed to the media in Srinagar. The Indian police forces have already started trial versions of the use of drones for surveillance. The drones have been tested in some areas of Srinagar in the first phase and are being used in other districts as well to watch the activities and capture pictures and videos of the people taking part in the protests. All such videos are stored in a central database and the same information are used for references and strategies to tackle pro-freedom activities,” said a senior official on the condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, a report by Kashmir police confirmed that more than 500 incidents of protests took place since August 5, with Srinagar topping the list with over 160 such incidents reported from the area. Principal Secretary of occupied Kashmir, Rohit Kansal, confirmed to the media that over 4,500 people have been arrested under the draconian Public Safety Act. These 4,500 persons are among 10,000 Hurriyat leaders, political workers, traders, lawyers, social activists and youth who have been arrested since August 5 when India stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status by revoking Article 370 of its constitution. It is also worth mentioning here that the Kashmiris are unable to stock the essential commodities for winter season. It will cost huge number of deaths even if curfew is lifted in later part of summer. The Kashmir valley remains cut off from the rest of the world due to closure of the Srinagar-Jammu Highway due to snowfall during most part of winter. During the lockdown, a report by Kashmir police confirmed that more than 300 incidents of protests took place over the past three weeks, with Srinagar topping the list with over 160 such incidents reported from the area. The incidents occurred between August 5 and August 7 after the abrogation of the provisions in Article 370 and the bifurcation. Around 22 such incidents took place in Pulwama and 18 in Baramulla, the police report said. On August 17, the Valley recorded 24 such incidents, the highest number of incident in a single day. Areas of Safakadal, Soura and Nigeen in Srinagar have witnessed maximum protests since the clampdown in the Valley, ahead of the August 5 announcement. At least 30 incidents have been reported from the Safakadal, while Soura has reported 20 and the Nigeen area 15.