Amarnath Yatra called off, tourists asked to return, Kashmiris scramble for food and fuel

Rumours again flew thick and fast in Kashmir on Friday. Triggered by the visit of Army Chief General Bipin Rawat and the decision to rush 25,000 more troops to Kashmir, people scrambled to stockpile food grains and fuel.

The Army held a press briefing earlier in the day and claimed that landmines bearing markings from Pakistan and intelligence inputs pointed to plans to attack the Amarnath Yatra, which was to conclude on August 15.

The government, however, ordered the pilgrims and tourists to return immediately amidst growing apprehension.

The rumour mill worked overtime in the absence of credible information. The government was all set to trifurcate the state, said some, while others felt Article 35A was going to be scrapped.

"We need to store essentials at home. Nobody knows when the balloon goes up", said a distraught middle-aged man, who runs a small shop in Srinagar's uptown area.

Long queues of vehicles were seen waiting for refuelling near the fuel stations and people were rushing around to stock food grains.

"I don't know what is going to happen. But something is on the cards. There are rumours about trifurcating the state or scrapping Article 35 A", said Mohammad Iqbal, another resident.

The central government on July 27 had deployed 10,000 additional security personnel to the Valley for "maintaining law and order’. On Thursday, August 1, another 25,000 security personnel were rushed to Kashmir, which already had 70,000 security personnel deployed before the Amarnath Yatra started.

The move has fuelled apprehension among people about the central government's intentions to scrap Article 35-A which defines the "permanent residents of state" or possibly trifurcating the state.

"They are readying to do some misadventure. Things will again go downhill here," said a group of anxious university students.

" ...Otherwise, what was the need of deploying legions of forces here that too at a time when things looked relatively calm. Warnings wrapped in government orders are doing rounds on the social media", they added. They said they were preparing to leave their hostel and rush home.

Reports from southern and northern parts of the state also suggest growing panic and a scramble for fuel and foodgrains.

Meanwhile IANS reported from Srinagar:

Requesting anonymity, a police officer told reporters the situation looks like a preparation to tackle some major incident. "We have been instructed to stay alert. That is all I can tell you. Kashmir is a place where anything can happen any time," he said.

Independence Day preparations are in full swing in all the government schools and colleges. While educational institutes remain open, parents are being cautious and are not sending their children to schools and colleges.

"I am a medical student and for me, practicals are an important part of my curriculum. But the current situation is so tense that my parents have asked me not to go to the college for a few days just to be on the safer side," said Rahila Muzaffer, a college student.

Peoples Democratic Party leader Khurshid Alam said that while Kashmir has been witnessing uncertainty for the past three decades, never has the situation been so precarious as it is now.

"There is panic among the locals. The government is duty-bound to come clean on it. You cannot play mind games with your own people," he said.

Similar concerns were expressed by former chief minister Omar Abdullah. "What 'ongoing situation' in Kashmir would require the Army and the Air Force to be put on alert? This isn't about 35A or delimitation. This sort of alert, if actually issued, would be about something very different," he tweeted.

A former independent legislator and senior leader of Peoples' United Front, Engineer Rashid, criticised the Centre's handling of the entire situation. "The government has to explain why it is creating fear psychosis in the peoples' minds," he told 101Reporters.

The Hurriyat Conference (G) issued a statement: "In response to the global concern about the gross human rights violations in the state, has hit India very hard diplomatically and out of frustration they create fear psychosis and a war-like scenario."

The Hurriyat spokesperson said that instead of war-mongering, India should take concrete steps to de-escalate the rising tension because their recent stand-off with their nuclear-armed neighbour after the Pulwama incident has been bone-chilling.

Separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said he has no clue about what is happening. "There is confusion, which creates panic. But whatever will come has nothing to do with the Kashmir issue. Nothing will have any impact on it," he said.