Man kills a girl in Budgam district and chops her body. An alleged drug edit son kills his mother in Sopore. A father strangulates his nine-year-old daughter and then slits her throat in Kupwara district. These are not the scenes from some Hollywood crime thriller but the real stories of a land that in recent history was known as Peer Wae’r (an abode of saints and sages) where crime word was alien. This was a place where women out walk alone on streets in the dead of night and would never, in their wildest dreams, have any apprehension regarding their safety.
Times have changed. This land – Kashmir – is now notoriously being associated with worst crimes – rapes, murders, abductions, robberies, human trafficking, flesh trade, drug peddling etc. While sociologists need to study the issue seriously and try to find out that wherefrom the rot has come into the society, one doesn’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand that violence of past three decades has completely changed the societal landscape of this place.
Political instability coupled with violence and violent politics has played havoc with Kashmir society. While the armed ones did whatever they wanted to do with scant respect of human life and dignity, the general public has all along been on the receiving end. The continuation of violent conflict has had dangerous impact on the psyche of people. If a serious study is conducted here, most of the people would be found patients of PSTD.
The all increasing crime rate is not something that can be brushed or wished away. This is the reality of our times. It is happening just in front of us all. It may not have touched our homes yet, but it has been destroying homes in the vicinity. If this dangerous trend is not contained, no household will remain safe as rightly said by veteran Urdu poet Late Rahat Indoori –
Lagegi aag, to aayenge Ghar kaii.. Zadd mai, Yahaa.n pe sirf Hamaara makaan, Thodi hai
People of Kashmir have to wake up. Parents have to wake up. Civil society has to wake up. Religious and social leaders have to wake up. This battle can’t be left to police and other law enforcing agencies alone. It has to be fought from every household, from every mohalla and village and from the pulpits of all mosques here.
First and the foremost responsibility lies on the shoulders of parents. They have to keep a close watch on their wards. We are not suggesting aggressive and suppressive parenting but a friendly one. Parents have to try to become too friends with their children so that they would be the first to notice any kind of abnormality in them and thus take the corrective measures well in time.
Religious leaders, particularly Imams of mosques too have a huge responsibility to contribute their bit. How many Imams and Khateebs spoke of the three murders mentioned above during their Friday sermons? These Imams should understand that these are the issues that they should talk about and make people understand what the religion Islam says about crimes and criminals. The words of these religious leaders carry weight and people listen to them. They need to devote sometime during their sermons to these societal issues.
It is a long battle and is to be fought on all fronts. People should be vigilant themselves and should not hesitate to approach law enforcing agencies if they see some criminal activities being committed somewhere. Drug trafficking and abuse are very common in Kashmir and we need to understand that this menace is mother of all crimes. People need to keep a close eye in their vicinities and report any suspicious activity to the police without any delay.
