The whole Kashmir valley was on edge few days back as after allegations of molestation of girl by army five civilians lost their precious lives in firing by security forces. Now to cool the tempers bulldozers tore down four army bunkers on Tuesday 19 April at Kashmir’s Handwara town, a week after a young cricketer and two others were killed in firing by security forces.
Pertinently, these four bunkers set up 23 years ago in the north Kashmir town were razed by the administration. The army, which had refused to move out of the town, relented after “negotiations with the administration and the an intervention at the highest level at the state government and army command,” sources say.
It is worth mentioning here that as the main bunker came down in the heart of the town, locals immediately put up a banner naming the square after Nayeem Bhat, a 19-year-old cricketer who was killed in the firing last Tuesday.
It is a known veracity that locals in Kashmir have been long demanding the demilitarization of Kashmir as a tiny Kashmir valley cannot afford to much security forces. Many have stated that demilitarization of Kashmir completely logically is not possible but to some extent it should be done.
Many voices are stating that removing of army bunkers in Handwara was a “good sign” and that the process needs to be extended to other parts of Kashmir too.
