On August 5, 2019, Kashmir was put under a communication blackout after the Parliament of India, approved the splitting of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories–Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, directly ruled from New Delhi.
Landlines, mobile phone services and the internet were shut down.
The entire political leadership had been either detained or put under house arrest.
According to figures of the health department around 200 people were injured in the aftermath of the August 5, 2019 decision. A majority of them were hit by pellets.
Official sources admitted to thousands of civlians being arrested.
During this period of lockdown, valley traders faced huge losses, especcialy in the horticulture sector.
“Every year we earned more than 5,00,000 by selling our apples, but due to the clampdown we could only earn 2,50,000,” Mukhtar Ahmad said while recounting the days.
Nazeer Ahmed from Shopian, on the banning of telecommunication said, “banning means of communications firstly cut us from the outer world, which had a direct impact on our dealings as well as on our relationships, be it on personal, economic, social or political.”
“Second, this bane unveiled the hidden agenda of the Indian Government that they don’t want the people of Kashmir, all they want is the land of Kashmir,” he said.
Indian labourers boarding buses at the tourist reception centre on August 7, 2019 after the government ordered an advisory for tourists and Hindu pilgrims to leave Kashmir. Muhammad Asim a labourer from Bihar said, “I had a rented a house for past 11 years in old city Habba Kadal and I had to leave everything here. I will start up my new business outside Kashmir.” [FPK Photo/Vikar Syed.]
Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta area of Srinagar was put under restrictions by the Indian paramilitary forces. Friday prayers weren’t allowed post Aug 5, 2019. [FPK Photo/Vikar Syed.]
A Kashmiri boy holding a placard during a pro-freedom march after Friday prayers in Soura region of Srinagar on August 23, 2019. [FPK Photo/Vikar Syed.]
Indian paramilitary forces during a lockdown in old city Srinagar on August 16. Forces personnel were patrolling streets amid a clampdown after the Indian government abrogated article 370 which gave a semi-autonomous status to Jammu & Kashmir. [FPK Photo/Vikar Syed.]
A Kashmiri man crossing the road covered by barbed wires in Downtown Srinagar during restrictions on August 16, 2019. [FPK Photo/Vikar Syed.]
Buses on halt inside a bus stand in Srinagar. “We have a number of buses outside the stand but we aren’t aware where they are because we don’t have any way to communicate,” President of bus stand in Parimpora Srinagar said. [FPK Photo/Vikar Syed.]
Journalists wait for their turns to access the internet at the media facilitation centre. A facility of five computers with internet access for journalists was started by the government. Over 300 journalists had to wait for thier turn. [FPK Photo/Vikar Syed.]
Schools were closed across the valley. [FPK Photo/Vikar Syed.]
Angry protesters clashed with the Indian paramilitary forces amid teargas shelling in the outskirts of Srinagar. [FPK Photo/Vikar Syed.]
36-year-old Jan Mohammad, a resident of Downtown Srinagar was injured in pellet firing by the forces outside his home late evening on August 6, 2019. [FPK Photo/Vikar Syed.]
Arif Ahmad (name changed), a 23-year-old shopkeeper was picked up by Indian Paramilitary forces in a night raid at his village in Shopian district in August 2019. He said that he was beaten inside the camp. [FPK Photo/Vikar Syed.]
On August 6, at 12:30 am, the first night after Article 370 was abbrogated, Zahoor Ahmad (name changed), a 22 year old student from Pulwama was taken out from his house along with other twelve men of the same village and was allegedly beaten by Indian paramilitary forces. [FPK Photo/Vikar Syed.]
Due to the communication blackout, 70-year-old Ghulam Nabi Dilshad, a Kashmiri poet from Pulwama turned to radio frequencies. BBC Radio broadcasted half an hour programme from Kashmir during the clampdown. [FPK Photo/Vikar Syed.]
Deserted view of Lal chowk area in Srinagar on August 28, 2019. [FPK Photo/Vikar Syed.]
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