Jammu & Kashmir: Innocent families caught between two guns in valley

The families of policemen and militants in valley are bearing the brunt of hostilities between the forces and  insurgents.

In a string of raids at several villages on August 29 and 30, as many as 12 relatives of the policemen were abducted by militants in southern parts of the valley, blindsiding  the security establishment and the affected families alike.

Although the abducted family members were released on Friday evening, the move is being seen as a dangerous gamble in the valley.

In an audio message, released on social media, Hizbul Mujahideen chief operational commander, Riyaz Naikoo on late Friday evening said that they had released all the relatives of policemen. Naikoo in his message made it clear that through these abductions they could exact the revenge of what police had allegedly been doing to the their families.

On late Thursday night, according to the family members of a Jaish-e-Mohammad  militant Shahjahn, forces allegedly took them out of the their house at Amshipora village of Shopian district  and set it aflame.

" They sprinkled some powder on our house and burnt it down" said a family member while gesturing to the burnt out window frames.

In the nearby Nazeenpora village, at around the same time, forces allegedly set ablaze the house of another Hizbul Mujahdeen militant commander, Syed Naveed.

" The upper storey of our house was burnt down. We fail to understand why we have been dragged into this war" said a family member on the conditions of anonymity.

Policemen also picked up Naikoo’s father on Wednsday night from his residence. He, however, was released on Friday afternoon.

A few hours after these incidents, militants in the four south Kashmir districts —Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag went on abduction spree and kidnapped over a dozen close relatives of policemen.

"Although this time they have been released unharmed, next time things may go downhill. They (militants) could kill them" said a policeman's son, adding that both  sides should understand that families have nothing do with their hostilities.

A senior police official, wishing not to be named, said that it was a dangerous gamble and could have rather dangerous repercussions.

"Families of both policemen and militants are innocent. It will serve no purpose to harm "them" he added.

Political analyst Shahnawaz Mantoo says that it is a major shift not only in the 28 years of  insurgency in Kashmir but also in militant thinking.

"Militants are now ready to cross the sensitive boundaries of society", he said.

Mantoo believes that such shifts are fraught with dangers and will disrupt the social fabric.

He says that both police and local militants are part of Kashmiri society and “we as a society can not afford the constant confrontation between the two".