Terrorist activities elsewhere

The attack on the Indian Parliament was by far the most prominent attack carried out by Kashmiri militants outside Kashmir. India blamed Pakistan for carrying out the attacks, an allegation which Pakistan strongly denied and one that brought both nations to the brink of a nuclear confrontation in 2001-02. However, international peace efforts ensured the cooling of tensions between the two nuclear-powered nations.

Apart from this, the most notable was the hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC 814 en route New Delhi from Kathmandu, Nepal. The plane was hijacked approximately 1 hour after take off and was taken to Amritsar airport and then to Lahore in Pakistan. After refueling the plane took off for Dubai and then finally landed in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Under intense media pressure, New Delhi complied with the hijackers’ demand and freed Maulana Masood Azhar from its captivity in return for the freedom of the Indian passengers on the flight. The decision, however, cost New Delhi dearly. Maulana, who is believed to be hiding in Karachi, later became the leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed, an organisation which has carried out several terrorist acts against Indian Security Forces in Kashmir.

On December 22, 2000, a group of militants belonging to the Lashkar-e-Toiba stormed the famous Red Fort in New Delhi. The Fort houses a Indian military unit and a high-security interrogation cell used both by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Indian Army. The terrorists successfully breached the security cover around the Red Fort and opened fire at the Indian military personnels on duty killing two of them on spot. The attack was significant because it was carried out just two days after the declaration of the cease-fire between India and Pakistan.

Two Kashmiri militants belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed, raided the Swami Narayan temple complex in Ahmedabad, Gujarat killing 30 people, including 18 women and 5 children. The attack was carried out on September 25, 2002, just few days after state elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir. Two identical letters found on both the terrorists claimed that the attack was done in retaliation for the deaths of thousands of Muslims during the Gujarat riots.

Two car bombs explode in south Mumbai on August 25, 2003; one near the Gateway of India and the other at the famous Zaveri Bazaar, killing at least 48 and injuring 150 people. Though no terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attacks, Mumbai Police and RAW suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba’s hand in the twin blasts.

In an unsuccessful attempt, six militants belonging to Lashkar-e-Toiba, stormed the Ayodhya Ram Janmbhomi complex on July 5, 2005. Before the militant could reach the main disputed site, they were shot down by Indian security forces. One Hindu worshipper and two policemen were injured during the incident.

Human rights violations

Kashmiri organizations, Pakistan and human rights groups have blamed Indian Security Forces for many occurrences of human rights abuses in the state. India says that the allegations are wrong and argues that, except a few incidents, many of the crimes and atrocities against Kashmiris are done by the insurgents.

A report by the Human Rights Watch, stated two main reasons for the improving human rights condition in the region: First, sincere efforts were made by the new Jammu and Kashmir provincial government headed by Mufti Muhammad Sayeed to investigate cases of human rights abuses in the state and to punish those guilty including Indian soldiers. More than 15 Indian army soldiers were convicted by the Indian government in 2004 for carrying out human rights abuses in the state. Second, the decrease in cross-border infiltration into India by armed insurgents. However, since the report, human rights abuses have risen once more, though not to levels seen in the early 1990’s.

The districts of Baramulla and Anantnag in the Kashmir Valley, are the worst affected. The increasing violence in the region has compelled India to deploy more than 250,000 troops in the valley. According to an Indian NGO, every day more than 50 people are abducted by the insurgents in the valley; half of whom are killed. Incidents of rape, kidnapping, looting, rioting, and hawala (the informal money transfer system often associated with money laundering) have increased since insurgency intensified in the 1980’s. The Jammu and Kashmir provincial government stated in 2003, that a total of 3,744 people had ‘disappeared’ since 1989. However, human rights activists put the total figure at more than 8,000. Those who are targeted mainly include women, children and local politicians.