Kashmir Leaders Condemn Mass Arrests, Demolitions After Anantnag Attack
Two days after a militant attack in Anantnag that killed a police constable, regional leaders in Kashmir have voiced strong opposition to the subsequent mass arrests and demolition of houses belonging to suspected militants' families. The response has drawn criticism from prominent figures including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Member of Parliament (MP) Engineer Rashid, and MP Aga Syed Ruhullah.
During his Friday sermon at the historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq stated that over 2,000 young men had been detained across Kashmir on allegations of being 'over-ground workers' (OGWs). He emphasised that collective punishment is unjustified. 'An act of violence by one cannot justify collective punishment for all. The killing should be investigated, and those responsible dealt with according to law. But innocent youth and their families should not be scapegoats,' he said.
Mirwaiz also condemned the demolition of homes, calling it an 'extrajudicial and unjust measure' that deepens resentment and is counterproductive. He welcomed the release on bail of Kashmiri human rights activist Khurram Parvez and journalist Irfan Mehraj. Commenting on student protests in New Delhi, he urged dialogue over force, noting that reports of pellet injuries among protesters were a 'painful reminder' of the impact of pellet guns in Kashmir.
In Parliament, MP Engineer Rashid, leader of the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), protested against the detentions and demolitions. He said, 'We feel the pain of the family of the deceased policeman. But how can you justify the arrest of 2,500 people and the bulldozing of residential houses?' Rashid, currently in Tihar Jail on terror funding charges, contrasted the response in Delhi, where policemen were assaulted but no mass arrests occurred, with Kashmir, where a single attack led to widespread detentions.
He also raised the killing of auto-rickshaw driver Arif Hussain in Bhaderwah during an anti-militancy operation, calling it a 'cold-blooded killing by the police'. He questioned the silence of Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on this incident while engaging with activist Sonam Wangchuk.
The statements reflect growing unease among regional leaders over the state's response to militancy, with calls for accountability and restraint in security operations.
