Indian forces martyred 210 people in occupied Kashmir in 2019

SRINAGAR: Indian Forces in their unabated acts of state terrorism martyred at least 210 innocent Kashmiris, including three women and nine teenagers, in the outgoing year, according to data compiled by Kashmir Media Services.

A total of 14 women lost their spouses and 29 children their parents while 64 women were molested by the men in uniform. Indian forces destroyed as many 249 residential houses during this period.

As many as 2,417 people were injured including 827 in pellet firing when troops used brute force on protesters and during house raids and crackdowns. A total of 162 people lost vision after being hit by pellets in one eye. 12,892 people including Hurriyat activists, students, young boys, and women were arrested during the year.

Since August 5, 2019 when India revoked Articles 370 and 35A of its constitution that guaranteed special status to occupied Kashmir, the territory, particularly the Kashmir valley and Muslim majority areas of Jammu region, continued to remain under military siege and lockdown, which entered 149th day today.

Indian authorities did not allow people to offer any prayer, including Friday prayers for 19 consecutive weeks at historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar besides disallowing other religious functions.

In order to distort the history of Muslim majority Jammu and Kashmir, the Modi-led Indian government has decided to give a Hindutva touch to the curriculum followed in schools and colleges of occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh region in the name of revision.