SRINAGAR: It seems as if “video war” has started in the Valley. After videos of security men beating Kashmiri youth went viral, at least two fresh videos have surfaced in which a worker of ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a trader apologised for being associated with the mainstream party and chanted anti-India slogans at a gunpoint.
In one of the video, PDP worker Wali Mohammad Bhat said he should be forgiven for his past mistakes. An AK-47 rifle can be seen held by a person off the camera in the video.
“I announce my disassociation from the party and urge people not to be associated with the mainstream party,” said visibly scared Bhat.
He further said people have been martyred and young boys maimed and blinded.
“If I have committed something wrong, I should be forgiven in the name of Allah and his Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). I promise that I won’t repeat the mistake and won’t be associated with the mainstream party in future,” added Bhat.
He also chanted anti-India slogans on the directions of the gun-wielding person (not visible in the video).
In the second video, a trade union leader, Bashir Ahmad Wani, says he would dissociate from all activities. He also chanted anti-India slogans.
A police officer said the videos have been made by militants, who had barged into the residence of PDP worker and trader union leader in South Kashmir and shot the video clips.
“The militants have got the video clips released on social networking sites through their supporters,” he said.
He said police has launched investigation to ascertain how and when militants shot the videos and who uploaded them on social networking sites.
The videos seem to be response to series of videos about security men beating the Kashmiri youth.
In one of the videos, a youth of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district was tied in front of an army vehicle. In another video, CRPF men can be seen shooting on head of a young protestor during minor clashes near a polling booth in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district on April 9.
In another video, a youth is being beaten and his shirt torn by the security men.
In yet another video, army men can be seen pinning a youth on ground and beating him with canes.
In another video, four youth are being beaten inside an armoured army vehicle by the soldiers. The youth are being forced to chant anti-Pakistan slogans and one of the youth is injured and blood is oozing out from his forehand.
In another video, three youth with their shirts taken off can be seen beaten and humiliated by the army men.
Reacting to release of videos about army men beating and harassing youth, independent legislator Er Sheikh Abdur Rashid said the videos have been uploaded on social media with intention to give a message to Kashmiris that “New Delhi doesn’t care about them and will do everything to demoralise, suppress and humiliate Kashmiris.”
“It is for sure that Army and other security agencies have recorded the incidents and then released them through social media to terrorise and demoralise Kashmiris through these videos,” he added.