On Friday morning, some youths at Arhama Manigam used the public address system of their local mosque to play freedom songs and slogans which irritated Commanding Officer of 5 Rashtriya Riffles.

According to local sources, Army men cordoned off the mosque and entered in. “Soldiers entered the mosque, ransacked loudspeakers system, broke window panes and dragged us out”, a youth said.

A local youth said, the Indian Army men lost their patience and beat up the youth to pulp before some village elders came out to rescue us.

At least 40 people suffered injuries– among which a mother-son duo and fourteen others have been shifted to SK Institute of Medical Sciences in critical condition– after an Indian army unit ‘barged into a mosque and beat up people’ in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.

The men and women deserved the ruthless thrashing by the Indian Army for living on Indian soil and using a Mosque as a propaganda tool for shouting Freedom slogans.

At least 40 people including a 60-year-old woman Mukhte Begum along with her young son Riyaz sustained injuries. Most of the injured were treated at Public Health Centre in Manigam while the woman, Mukhte, along with fourteen others were termed critical and referred to SK Institute of Medical Sciences in the disputed region’s summer capital.

Meanwhile, Army’s Commanding Officer reached the health centre in Manigam and threatened medicos and para team not to attend the injured.

People were saved from the wrath of the Army only after the intervention of police.

In the other parts of the district, violent protests broke out after Friday prayers in which an SHO along with seven police cops and 5 CRPF men were injured. In Kujar Fatehpora, youths in large number fought stone battles with police and clashes at Saloora, Gangerhama, Khann Harran, Giraj, and Beehama resulted in the injuries to many.

People in large numbers at Tulamull took out a peaceful procession and shouted slogans favouring freedom of Kashmir.

comments by Kusum Arora

Like never before the Indian army has attacked a mosque for playing anti-India songs and chanting slogans. In a shocking incident local youths in Arhama Manigam mosque used a public meeting chanted anti India slogans and played songs in loud speaker. The Commanding Officer of 5 Rashtriya Riffles could not stand the anti-India slogans and barged into the mosque along with his men and broke the loudspeaker, mikes and audio sets.

In the clash, 40 people were injured who tried to attack the army and have been admitted to Public Health Centre in Manigam. Some people were critically injured and were admitted to SK Institute of Medical Sciences. According to some locals, the army waited for a while but when the slogans did not stop they had to enter into the mosque. Few people had to say that the men and women deserved beating for staying in Indian soil and calling out anti-India slogans.

The village elders later intervened and requested army to return back. The police also stopped the army from further attacking the slogan chanters. Following the development, many youths in part of Manigam protested and pelted stones which injured 7 police men and 5 CRPF jawans. Violent clash was also seen in Saloora, Gangerhama, Khann Harran, Giraj and Beehama areas which injured many police. The people chanted AZADI slogans against India and demanded freedom to Kashmir.

It is easy to blame army for barging into the mosque, but what we need to understand is army is not trained to be mere SPECTATORS when country is under attack. Our country did not spend crores training them to be peace messengers holding a rose. And for those who do not understand the language of peace, stick is used.

The routine habit of seculars is to first break law and then play victim card. India has seen enough theatrics in the name of secular politics. And this is exactly why separatists and law breakers demand the withdraw of AFSPA in Jammu Kashmir, so they have free hand to perform all their anti-India activities.