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Injured, pregnant Kashmiris cut off from emergency aid as phone lines go dead in Modi’s communications blackout
- Since August 5, when Modi’s government revoked the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir, people have struggled to access critical services
- Meanwhile, at least 152 people have been hurt by tear gas and pellets as Indian security forces crack down on the disputed region
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Mohammad Altaf Dar was asleep in his home in Srinagar when the roof went up in flames at about 1.30am. The auto rickshaw driver hurried his wife, son and mother out of the house through a window and stayed behind to remove gas cylinders from the kitchen, to prevent a big explosion.
“By then, the fire had spread to the first floor and I had to break windows to escape, which injured my feet,” Dar said, surveying the black ash and debris left of the two-storey home.
Since August 5, when Indian Prime Minister’s government announced it was revoking the autonomy of the Indian-administered part of disputed Kashmir, thousands of troops have poured into Jammu and Kashmir. A strict curfew and near-total communications blackout have also followed.
Families have not been able to contact one another domestically – even within the two newly-created federal territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh – and with relatives and friends abroad.
Worse still, the blackout has prevented people from accessing essential services.
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