Kashmir parents keep children out of school as tensions remain high

Classrooms in Indian-administered Kashmir were mostly empty on Monday, despite a government notice that schools would re-open, as tensions remained high across the territory.

Many parents in Srinagar, Kashmir’s main city, kept their children at home, fearing further unrest after violent clashes over the weekend between Indian troops and protesters opposed to Delhi’s revocation of the region’s special status.

Mobile and internet services remained blocked after an unprecedented lockdown imposed hours before the Indian government announcement was made two weeks ago. At least 4,000 people have reportedly been arrested under controversial public safety laws, and residents have faced near-constant curfew rules, apparently to prevent unrest.

Jammu and Kashmir’s chief secretary, BVR Subrahmanyam, said on Friday that life would return to normal over the weekend, with movement restrictions lifted in many areas, landlines reinstated and some schools reopening.

On Monday, very few pupils arrived at any of the 190 schools that had opened in Srinagar. “It is a risk. I cannot risk my child’s life for some experiment,” a local police officer said.

Communication blocks mean there is no way of contacting school staff in case of an emergency, he said. “There has been a gradual increase in anger and protests over the last three days so one cannot say what will happen next. The situation will not implode but there are chances that protests will grow.”

A senior government official said the number of civil servants returning to work was picking up rapidly, but that school attendance was “thin to nil”.

There had been minor incidents of stone throwing on Monday that were dealt with in accordance with the law, the official said.

One man died and at least two dozen people were injured during clashes on Saturday night, when Indian troops reportedly used teargas, chilli grenades and pellets to disperse protesters.

Sporadic protests continued on Monday, but were quickly dispersed. The severing of communications has prevented protesters from organising.

In Srinagar’s Batamaloo neighbourhood, a group of demonstrators smashed the car windows of government employees who had been ordered to report to duty. Some staff were bussed to the headquarters of the Jammu and Kashmir administration, where work resumed on Monday.

“It is wrong. The employees should not have come to work,” said a shopkeeper, who had opened a narrow gap in their shutter. “In 2016 we had an option to turn back, but this time there is no option,” he said, referring to the last major agitation in Kashmir which lasted nearly six month.

Movement restrictions were eased in Srinagar, but most shops and private offices remained closed.

A group of protesters in the western neighbourhood of Bemina blocked the main road and broke car windows. A bystander who witnessed the clash said he hoped for more protests. “It is our only chance. There will be nothing left after this,” he said.

The Indian government’s decision to revoke Kashmir’s special status means the territory loses its autonomy, constitution and flag. Rules preventing outsiders from buying land in the territory, which are seen by many Kashmiris as crucial to protecting their way of life in India’s only Muslim-majority state, have also been scrapped.

Authorities have reportedly detained at least 4,000 people since Delhi’s announcement. Arrests have made under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act 1978, which allows people to be imprisoned for up to two years without charge or trial, government sources told Agence France-Presse. A government spokesperson said the number of detentions had been exaggerated, but did not provide a figure of their own.

Adil Ahmad, who lives in Srinagar, said his cousin had been detained after police officers talked to him about the protests. “He was on the road when two plainclothes men came to him and started to talk to him. They asked him if there were protests in the area and he told them there should be protests. So they caught him and made a wireless message. After some time a police vehicle came and took him away,” he said.

Those arrested include prominent politicians, activists, business leaders and lawyers. Many have reportedly been flown out of Kashmir to prison.

Delhi’s decision has escalated tensions with Pakistan, which also claims Kashmir and has fought two wars with India over the territory. Islamabad said Indian fire across their de-facto border on Sunday had killed two civilians and seriously injured a child, a day after Delhi said Pakistani fire had killed an Indian soldier.

Pakistan’s prime minister, Imran Khan, threatened last week to “teach Delhi a lesson” and vowed to fight until the end against any Indian violations in disputed Kashmir.