Centre tells Supreme Court: Situation in J&K under control

The Centre on Friday informed the Supreme Court that the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir is that curfew has been relaxed and the state is coming back to normalcy.

Solicitor-general Ranjit Kumar submitted to the court the report which said that after the neutralisation of three terrorists of Hizbul Mujahideen, including Burhan Wani on July 8, violent protests and law and order disturbances started in different parts of the Kashmir valley. Inimical and anti-social elements exploited the news on social media platforms to inflame passions and incite sentiment.

Public address systems of some of the local mosques were used to raise pro-freedom slogans and incite youth to indulge in stone pelting and protests.

The Centre gave this information in its status report on the writ petition filed by J & K National Panthers Party before a three-judge Bench.

The petitioner had sought a direction to the government of India to advice the governor of J&K to impose Governor’s Rule in J&K under Section 92 of J&K Constitution.

Last Friday, the court had asked the Centre to file a status report on whether the authorities had made adequate provisions for medical emergencies in the affected areas; whether provisions had been made for supply of essential commodities in the affected areas to avoid inconvenience to the general public; whether provisions had been made for students from the affected areas appearing in competitive examinations; whether provisions had been made for doctors travel to and fro the hospitals; whether relaxation in “curfew” and “restrictions” on movement were being given to avoid inconvenience or hardship to the people and what is the ground reality as to the law and order situation in the affected areas of the Kashmir Valley.

The report said protests were witnessed all over the valley. However due to persistent efforts of the security forces/J and K police, the situation has shown remarkable improvement, with number of incidents declining progressively since the outbreak of protests and clashes on July 8. A total of 872 incidents were witnessed, 42 civilians were killed; 2,656 civilians injured; two security personnel were killed and 3,783 were injured; 28 government establishments were set ablaze and 49 were damaged.

The Centre asserted that during the period of curfew supply of essential commodities, food, milk and water were maintained and all hospitals were equipped with medicines and drugs. Injured patients were given treatment and some of them with serious eye injuries were shifted to AIIMS, New Delhi. Curfew had been relaxed and situation is improving, the report added. The bench granted time to the petitioner to file his response to the report and posed the matter for further hearing on August 26.