Pahalgam Massacre Aftermath
I have seen it happening for the first time in Kashmir’s history that people in Kashmir valley as well as Jammu observed a complete bandh against the massacre of 28 tourists in Pahalgam on April 22nd 2025. It was for the first time in 35 years that the entire Kashmir was shut down to raise voice against such innocent killings. Political parties, trade bodies, taxi unions, chamber of commerce and industries, civil society groups spoke in one voice across J&K and protested on the roads of Srinagar. Not only were the protests held in the Lal Chowk, the heart of Srinagar city, but even dozens of protests were held in the nook and corner of Kashmir.
From district headquarters to tehsil headquarters people carried out protest demonstrations against these killings. Even the Government employees along with officers were seen on roads. I saw the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Sopore protesting with his employees and locals outside his office. This we have never seen in the past? In far off places like Bhalessa in Doda people were protesting on roads. From Kupwara to Qazigund, Srinagar to Shopian and Budgam to Baramulla, the entire Kashmir echoed with calls for justice, and condemned the killings. Throughout the day on April 23rd, protest marches, candlelight vigils were seen everywhere. The people in fact protested on the same evening (April 22nd) taking out candlelight marches in Srinagar and other places.
Schools, Colleges, shops shut down
All schools, business offices, fuel stations were shut in Srinagar and other places on Wednesday April 23rd 2025. Public transport was off the roads. It was the first time post article 370 abrogation people observed a shutdown or hatral? The ruling National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples’ Conference, and Apni Party were among the political outfits that supported the shutdown to protest the attack. The Muttahida Majlis Ulema (MMU) — an amalgam of several religious bodies — which is headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had also appealed to the people of Jammu & Kashmir to protest the heinous crime and he too supported the shutdown on April 23rd 2025. As a mark of respect and solidarity with the victims and their families, the Private Schools’ Association of J&K (PSAJK) announced the closure of all private schools across Jammu and Kashmir. The Kashmir University postponed all examinations scheduled on April 23rd.
Attack on students outside J&K
It is an irony that Kashmiri Muslims who have been protesting against this massacre on roads in Srinagar and other places of J&K , the Kashmiris living outside J&K are being harassed and even thrashed especially in Uttrakhand, Punjab, Himachal and other places. On one hand we Kashmiri people are offering free food and water to tourists travelling on the roads in Kashmir to ensure they don’t feel harassed but on the contrary Kashmiri students are being thrashed. Even the female students were not spared and thrashed, their hair pulled out by angry men in Punjab? The J&K Students raised concern over what they call a “growing wave of targeted violence” against Kashmiri students outside the region. According to a student representative, multiple distress calls have been received from students in Dehradun, Chandigarh, Noida, Himachal Pradesh, and many parts of Uttar Pradesh.
In Dehradun, a video circulated by the Hindu Raksha Dal warned Kashmiri Muslim students to leave the city. In Uttarakhand, Kashmiri students from BFIT College, Sudhowala, fled toward Jolly Grant Airport fearing for their safety after threats from right-wing groups went viral on social media. In Himachal Pradesh Kashmiri students in Arni University (Indora) and Kangra were allegedly harassed and assaulted. In Prayagraj (Allahabad) Uttar Pradesh, landlords are reportedly forcing Kashmiri tenants to vacate their accommodations immediately, citing security concerns.
In Jammu many Kashmiris were thrashed publicly in the Janipur area, and in Reasi Kashmiri drivers who were stranded due to closure of Jammu-Srinagar highway at Ramban were seen making distress calls to J&K Govt officials and appealing for rescue? Chief Minister Omar Abdullah responded to the growing crisis, stating that the J&K government is in close contact with the governments of the concerned states. MP from Patiala Dr Dharamvir Gandhi on my request asked students to contact him for help in Punjab, but more needs to be done.
FIR against HRD leader
After pressure from J&K Govt, and many social media posts the Uttarakhand police on Thursday 24th April 2025 registered a first information report (FIR) against the Hindu Raksha Dal-HRD leader Lalit Sharma who had given an open call asking all Kashmiri students to leave the state over the Pahalgam terror attack. It is not clear whether he has been arrested or not? Lalit Sharma allegedly threatened to ‘deal’ with any Kashmiri Muslim in Dehradun who did not heed his warning to leave the state.
Dehradun senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ajai Singh while talking to media said that an FIR was registered against Lalit Sharma for attempting to incite religious sentiments through inflammatory speeches. The FIR was under sections 196 (1) (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 352 (criminal intimidation), 353 (2) (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered in the Patel Nagar police station of Dehradun.
In a video statement, HRD leader Sharma had threatened to ‘deal’ with any Kashmiri Muslim in Dehradun who did not heed his warning to leave the state. “From 10 am, Hindu Raksha Dal teams will step out from their homes, and if we find any Kashmiri anywhere, we will teach them a lesson,” he said in the statement that had been circulating since April 23rd 2025
Conclusion
If this is a security related matter, why blame people of Kashmir for the Pahalgam massacre? Why is a hate campaign being launched against Kashmiris even as there has been no stone-pelting, shutdown or anti India demonstration in last almost 6 years in Kashmir? Rather than questioning the Govt, people outside Kashmir are blaming poor Kashmiris who are shattered with this incident. Even many TV channels and social media sites are not playing a positive role in this hour of grief ?
Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat is an Acumen Fellow. He is Founder / Chairman J&K RTI Movement
