Terrorists find new 'morality' weapon in J&K

M Saleem Pandit / TNN / May 13, 2006, 00:22 IST

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Separatist militants have found in the sex scandal a new weapon - morality. And this time, people seem to be paying heed to the war cry.

Terrorists find new 'morality' weapon in J&K

SRINAGAR: Increasingly alienated from the local Muslim population because of their hardline demands and violent means, separatist militants have found in the sex scandal a new weapon �� morality. And this time, people seem to be paying heed to the war cry.
The image of the police has also taken a beating. Men in khaki could do little when separatist groups stepped over the law and Dukhtaran-e-Millat instigated mobs to raze the house of the alleged kingpin of the sex racket in Habba Kadal on May 5.
The result of the entire incident was that terrorists managed to regenerate people's support that had waned over 17 years of turmoil. And they've ignited a new wave of panic too.
Opportunistic anti-social elements are riding the wave. Blackmailing and extortions for withholding names of those involved in the scandal case are at peak. "A local Urdu journalist planted my name in the racket and then demanded Rs 30,000 for refuting the false news item," said a victim.

The insecurity of locals is evident by the fact that since last week there has been a spate of advertisements appearing in local papers where people are disowning any person alleged to have connections with the case �� irrespective of whether these allegations hold any weight or not.
"A group of students even went to the extent of setting fire to the motorcycle of one of their classmates, after he was falsely blamed for eve teasing a girl at a private tuition in Lal Bazaar early this week," said Naseem Ahmad of Lal Bazaar.

The police, who have been put on the defensive after reports of involvement of some of officers in the sex case, are unable to take action against these rumour-mongers and blackmailers in the given situation, a senior police officer told The Times of India.
From being protesters, the separatist outfits smoothly made the shift to "protectors", putting across their definition of acceptable social values and threatening action if defied. In their view, places like beauty parlours propagate immoral values, and so does cable television.
The latest arrow to cleanse the society came from the quiver of terrorist group Al-Mansoorian, which has "requested" Kashmiri girls to shun mobile phones. "Parents should refrain from providing mobile phones to their daughters.
If they fail to do so, Al-Mansoorian would be left with no other option but to take action on its own," a local news organisation quoted outfit spokesman Abu-Akeel on Thursday.
Also, mohalla committees have been asked to constitute moral committees in the localities with imams (priests) of local mosques as heads to regulate the social life of the residents, revealed sources.
"The scandal has undoubtedly given lever to the militants, but why should men in uniform let them indulge?" asked Muzaffar Hussain Beig, deputy chief minister. He added that investigations would restore the faith of people in due course.
Nazir Ahmad Bhat, general secretary of state Congress, said policemen need to be of high moral character. "Even mere allegations of officers' involvement is bound to bring a bad name to the entire force," Bhat added.
The turn of events is instilling a fear psychosis among locals, even as word is being spread of presence of more sex operators. Two terrorists outfits �� Jaish-e-Mohammad and Al-Badr �� claimed in local newspapers that sex operators were active in Harwan, Brein, Nishat, Ishber in Srinagar and in Kulgam in Anantang district.

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