Shutdown but little tension over Uni’s death in Sopore

Battle on appletown continues in 22^nd year; Police say 20 fresh recruits came in recently; Search on for Muz Maulvi, Akash Badar

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SOPORE, Sep 16: Arguably nothing better than Abdullah Uni’s death would have marked completion of the first zero-casualty year for Jammu and Kashmir Police. As many as 18 civilians and a Constable died in different clashes between demonstrators and Police/paramilitary forces when thousands of Kashmiris came out on streets on September 13^th, 2010, to protest a sacrilegious incident that had happened in United States of America. That brought number of the civilians killed in street demonstrations, clashes and arson during turbulent summer of 2010 to 114. Nobody died in such clashes from September 14, 2010 to September 14, 2011 anywhere in Kashmir valley.

Shops in the north Kashmir business hub remained shut for three days as a mark of tribute to the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba terror Abdullah Uni. If Police are to be believed, Uni was “simply a brand name of terror” who did everything on gun point and was in immoral relationship with over a dozen young women, including his hideout owner Tariq Kakru’s daughter Tabbasum. But, quite a number of residents extol him as a “great warrior” who, they insist, had “unnerved the Indian Army” for over six years. “He had killed dozens of soldiers and officers and had escaped leisurely from over a dozen of military operations”, says College student Syed Junaid.

People of varied shades of opinion have, nevertheless, consensus on one point: Uni’s death would prove to be a turning point in Sopore. Few others are unfazed by his death.

“We have seen many turning points. Army and Police claimed to have conquered Sopore several times in the last 22 years of our freedom movement. Their first claim came in November 1993 when they used tanks, killed 18 militants and trumpeted that Sopore had been conquered back. Every pause of calm was followed by a fresh spell of militancy”, said a school-teacher, insisting to hide his identity. He is sure that some other militant would soon emerge as an icon, for many years to come. “It will continue until Kashmir wins freedom”, he observed and asserted that nobody’s death, not even that of iconic Geelani, would break the “freedom struggle”.

Nevertheless, there are tell-tale signs of change, when compared to 1993. For all three days of mourning, passenger transport operated without fear or hindrance. Faces from streets to orchards looked relieved, if not jubilant.

“Uni was a dreaded killer. He would eliminate people on mere suspicion. With his blood-letting, he ruined dozens of poor families. This entire shutdown is because of the fear of his associates, who are no less merciless”, said a resident of Muslim Pir locality, again hiding his name. He narrated how Uni and his associates kidnapped and gunned down two young daughters of a poor labour earlier this year.

Suddenly, gunshots are heard around Bus Stand, not far away from SP’s office. Commandoes, who rushed in bullet-proof Jeeps with alacrity, returned soon. They learned from local vendors that Uni’s local associate, Muz Maulvi, had come close to a CRPF camp and run away after firing few shots from his pistol in the air. “He wanted to enforce shutdown. Our boys spotted him escape but we won’t let him set our track. We are confident to get Muz Maulvi as well as Akash Badar in a month if they chose to stay in town”, said a Police official.

SP Sopore, Imtiyaz Mir, however, cautioned that it was a little longer drawn battle. “We have credible information about entry of 20 fresh recruits in Rafiabad-Dooru-Warpora belt. Few of them have come in from Lolab and are staying in Imbarzalwari forests, few others are in Rafiabad. But we are sure to get a decisive victory by the middle of next year”, he asserted. “Police will succeed only if it gets support and cooperation from different quarters---its own leadership, political leaders, intelligentsia, media, judiciary”. He breaks to respond to a cellphone call. An officer of the rank of IGP asks him from Srinagar to release a youth, involved in four incidents of attacks on Police, stone pelting and arson!

For everybody at District Police Office, another Eid has come within 15 days. DGP, Kuldeep Khoda, and IGP, SM Sahai, drove all the way to Sopore in the forenoon to decorate the men who had removed the icon of terror carrying reward of Rs 10 to 30 Lakhs on his head. Nearly 20 personnel were either promoted to next ranks or regularized as Followers and Constables. Boys engaged as SPOs for Rs 3,000 a month would get salary of Rs 13,000 to 15,000 from this month. They had all packs of sweets in their hands and tears of joy in their eyes.

Marks of Uni’s spectacular strikes are still engraved on a many walls around. His bullets killed former SP Altaf Khan’s bodyguard on the entrance of Police Station. Khan himself had a close shave in three to four attacks. Uni’s rifle grenades fell on the compounds of fortified buildings in the highest security zone. Police offices, BSNL installations and senior Congress leader Ghulam Rasool Kar’s house are just few of his staple targets.

One of Uni’s rockets has ripped the cantilever RCC slab and missed the window of SP’s bedroom by inches. The sight is still frightening---notwithstanding rows of BP Gypsies, Rakhshaks, bunkers, pillboxes and crates of Concertina wire woven in all directions.

[Concluded]

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