Peace continues to prevail in Jammu and Kashmir following the death of Syed Ali Shah Geelani on September 1, the separatist patriarch and the founder of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat party, who was known for harbouring hostile sentiments towards India and pushing Kashmiri youths towards terrorism.
Syed Ali Shah Geelani died on Wednesday night in Srinagar, leading authorities to deploy troops around the city and shut down the internet as a precautionary measure, police said. In the past, large scale violence and riotings were followed by deaths of separatist leaders, and therefore administration had taken these steps in advance to prevent any violence.
The road that leads to Geelani’s house was manned by a large number of police and security personnel, and steel barricades were erected. Markets across the Kashmir valley remained shut and movement of vehicles and pedestrians was stopped on the roads. Mobile phone connections remained snapped in the valley, except landline and postpaid mobile connections from BSNL.
Journalist Aditya Raj Kaul, whose old video of him asking pointed questions to the separatist leader in 2011 at a press conference had gone viral on the internet, tweeted about post-Geelani Kashmir. He said the union territory has remained peaceful and tranquil in the wake of Geelani’s death and no incident of violence or protest has been reported from the valley.
“Kashmir has remained peaceful in last 24 hours. No major incident of violence or protest on the streets. Significant development indicating the irrelevance and fading visibility of Hurriyat which is almost a defunct group. Internet and calling could to be restored tomorrow night,” Kaul tweeted.
Kashmir has remained peaceful in last 24 hours. No major incident of violence or protest on the streets. Significant development indicating the irrelevance and fading visibility of Hurriyat which is almost a defunct group. Internet and calling could to be restored tomorrow night.
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) September 2, 2021
Following Geelani’s death, the authorities in Kashmir stepped up security in anticipation of protests and rallies in support of the decedent separatist. Security forces had installed barbed wire and barricades on roads leading to Geelani’s house in the main city of Srinagar after the family announced the death.
The security perimeter was built after announcements were made from loudspeakers of the main mosque near Geelani’s residence asking people to march towards the house to mourn his death.
But the police announced that no one in the Kashmir Valley would be allowed to leave their homes. Troops were deployed immediately and internet services snapped as a part of preventive measures to maintain peace and calm in the union territory.
Rabble rousers and trouble-makers in Kashmir and neighbouring Pakistan tried to milk Geelani’s death by calling for protests and demonstrations against the government but the Jammu and Kashmir police scuttled their attempts by facilitating a wee-hour burial for the slain separatist leader, hours after his death.
Even as separatist leader Geelani’s acolytes/aides were drumming up support over his death against Indian security forces, Kashmir Police in
— Rohan Dua (@rohanduaT02) September 2, 2021
early hours of Thursday foiled their plan to hold any procession
Thats been the hallmark of joint effort of @JmuKmrPolice, Army & CRPF pic.twitter.com/4kc1CS4bI4
After years of enduring terrorism, wanton violence and chaos, a hard-earned peace and tranquillity had washed over Jammu and Kashmir after the Indian government abrogated Article 370 in August 2019, stripping the status of its separate status and enabling its greater integration with the Indian union.
The relentless clampdown on now-defunct separatist organisation Hurriyat also played a big role in ensuring peace and calm in Jammu and Kashmir is not disrupted. The National Investigation Agency(NIA) has ample evidence of Hurriyat’s role in financing terror in Jammu and Kashmir, with links to senior separatist leaders.
