Demilitarisation in Kashmir: Technology a Partial Answer

Rahul Bhonsle

Apr 16, 2016 The ides of March are behind us but for Kashmir the summer of discontent appears to be brewing. The National Institute of Technology (NIT) episode has left a bitter taste amongst the people in the Valley as well as outside. Followed, soon after by the unfortunate death of the youths in Handwara, security managers in the Valley are likely to have their hands full in the coming months. Not that the trend was unexpected. With an all time low in the number of terrorists in the Valley estimated to be anything between 150 to 200 and an improved flow of information from the public top guns of the Hizbul Muhajideen and the Lashkar e Taiyyaba are being eliminated by the joint forces particularly in South Kashmir. There is disconcert amongst the terrorists groups and mistrust is leading to many left over elements amongst the hard core going underground. They need some oxygen for survival. On the other hand the Mehbooba Mufti government has taken office after a long delay. The coalition is particularly irksome to the nay sayers in Kashmir to say the least. These miscreants are likely to test the Chief Minister in the coming days. The Establishment in Pakistan caught in the conspiracy of Panama Papers leak have already raised the bogey of Indian interference in Balochistan, the Kashmir section of the ISI would be obviously looking to fish in the troubled waters in J & K. Social media provides an ideal tool for miscommunication and is being extensively used for spreading of rumours to incite passion. Handwara is the latest example where allegations of molestation of a girl by army personnel were used as a trigger. The Indian Express of 14 April states that the girl has denied molestation and accused local youth of a conspiracy, “The girl, however, has denied she was molested and accused two local youths of hatching a conspiracy”. Human rights groups have raised concerns over revelation of identity of the girl in the video thus jeopardising her security. In the hot tinderbox of passion such misinformation is enough for a mob to collect and charge the posts of security personnel. The aim of the rabble rousers who are in the rear rather than in the front is obvious provoke a violent reaction. A veteran army soldier in the Valley is extremely cautious in pulling the trigger on a crowd, he will do so only in self defence. It is apparent that the piquet in Handwara had no other option but being lynched by the mob. The soldiers who pulled the trigger would be the first to repent the youth who died as a consequence, no Indian army trooper is ever happy in such a situation. For the miscreants the protests that followed were another opportunity for provoking firing and it appears with five deaths already they have achieved their objective. The call for demilitarisation has grown shriller. Yet presence of the military in some critical areas in the Valley is felt necessary. Handwara Chowk may be one such spot which sees convergence of four main roads where presence of the picket could be seen essential with passage of security convoys through the day. Handwara connects North Kashmir to rest of the Valley. In the 1990’s this was one of the first towns to see the rise of militancy which has been controlled thus far but the seeds of unrest remain. Today it appears peaceful. Google Map reveals an HDFC ATM amongst other banks close to the Chowk apart from restaurants with names such as Cafe U and Me. Obviously the peace is rankling someone who sought to incite the violence. If picketing Handwara Chowk is essential. Technology may provide a partial answer. Deploying a network of surveillance cameras with a control centre and a quick reaction team of joint forces in proximity will provide adequate reaction time yet act as a deterrent. When security forces convoys are passing through the Chowk could be patrolled to beef up presence. Similar solutions can be found where pickets are deployed at sensitive spots which are irksome to the civil population but can compromise the security forces in times of crisis. Obviously this is an armchair solution that has to be validated on the ground but an idea worth exploring none the less.