Jammu and Kashmir: Rumours fly thick but slow in absence of communication

Pulwama|Shopian|Awantipora: Restrictions may have eased off over the past few weeks in the Kashmir Valley but for people in the three most sensitive districts of Shopian, Pulwama, Awantipora, it’s now ‘hartal’, if not ‘curfew’ because the communication blockade hasn’t been lifted.

“No one here wants Pakistan to meddle with our affairs,” said Khurseed Ahmed, a businessman in Pulwama, “but if the government wants us to open the shops, they first need to remove all the restrictions, including communication blockade. At least, landlines can be made operational,” he adds.


Vehicles have begun to ply, allowing for movement of people but it’s still not business as usual. Suspicion and doubt fill the air, fueled by rumours that fly thick and fast despite 25-day suspension of Internet and mobile services.

A trader in Shopian, Syed Shahnawaz, for instance, made a startling claim that security forces had “beaten up seven boys and fractured their arms” in his village Pinjora. But when asked for further details to verify these claims, he backed off: “I don’t know where they are, whether at hospital or at their home.”

Instances like these are common. Unsubstantiated claims are made, they cannot be verified but are enough to spark a rumour that adds to the tension, which in turn leads to ‘hartal’.

There are, however, immediate difficulties people are facing due to the clampdown. Tahir Ahmed, a wholesale stockist of medicines in Shopian, claimed “patients are unable to get basic medicines like paracetamol”. The district administration had denied such reports. The district hospital at Shopian is crowded and, although ATMs are functioning, there are long queues outside each of them.

There have been a few incidents of pellet injuries during the protests. A 17-year old boy, identified as Asrar, suffered pellet injury in one eye and is undergoing treatment at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences.

“He is stable but we fear that he might lose his eye-sight,” said his father. Hospital staff said that another 9-year-old boy was brought a few days back with pellet injury but was discharged after two days. “The number of pellet victims this time is not very high. Most of the injuries were related to tear gas shells,” they added.

“Instead of imposing restrictions, the government should try to engage,” said Riyaz Ahmed, a second year college student at Shopian.

A few shops selling medicines, fruits and daily essentials were open, mostly during the day. Traffic is less compared to normal days, but all roads are open, with security personnel stationed at regular intervals. There is no public transport on the roads barring a few Sumos that are only seen on the main roads.

At Pulwama, primary and middle schools are open but parents are not sending their wards due to lack of communication. Only schools located inside a military cantonment or police lines saw presence of some students at few places.

The district commissioners’ office at Shopian, Pulwama and Awantipora had long queues of people waiting to call their relatives and family members outside the state. With no work or business, locals gather at the market to socialise.

Javed Ahmed, a businessman from Awantipora said: “Everyday, I come here, burning fuel worth Rs 20 each side. We chat here, share news, if we have heard anything. We discuss politics and see if any friends or relatives need any help or daily essentials. If anyone of us can help, we try to go to help their families. If we don’t come here, we will get bored sitting at home all day.”