How conspiracy to trigger a fresh round of violence in Kashmir was foiled

Failing to trigger a cycle of violence on the pattern of the 2010 and 2016 street turbulence in Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370, the separatist operatives made an organised attempt at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid in the holy month of fasting in April. It, however, failed as the mosque’s management volunteers forced the saboteurs out and helped the Police to identify, arrest and book them for the criminal offence.   

During the investigation, Srinagar District Police seized smartphones of some saboteurs and retrieved their data that suggested not only their free access to the alleged killers of a Police officer but also their contact through smartphones with their handlers in Pakistan. “There was an organised plan of sabotage of peace and clear instructions to the local saboteurs to create a fresh season of violence from Jamia Masjid”, SSP Srinagar, Rakesh Balwal, disclosed to India Narrative.

“We have booked the saboteurs and gathered technical evidence of their links to Pakistan through some under-trial prisoners. We have retrieved important data from their phones which they managed to smuggle into a high security jail”, the SSP said. “When the mosque opened for mass prayers after 7 months of lockdown on 4 March (2022), the saboteurs received desperate instructions to trigger violence. They planned to start it on the first Friday of Ramazan on 8 April”.

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