38 years’ of Anantnag riots!

By: K R Ishan

Thirty-eight years ago, this day, on February, 20, Anantnag riots of 1986 had begun from Wanpoh village of the  South Kashmir district, sowing the seeds for the mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley, which ultimately  started germinating in 1990.

On the fateful day of February 20, 1986, several  temples of Kashmiri Pandits situated in Wanpoh, Dayalgam and Luk Bhawan  villages were set on fire. The desecration of religious places of the minority community, besides looting and arson of their business establishments spread to other villages of the South Kashmir like Tral, Pulwama  and then finally engulfed entire Valley. The trend continued even after Maha Shivratri festival on March 8, 1986. Incidentally, this year also (2024), Maha Shivratri falls on March 8!

The 1986 Kashmir Riots, also commonly referred to as the 1986 Anantnag Riots, were a series of attacks targeting Kashmiri Pandits. The attacks were undertaken at the behest of some religious fanatics, supported by political parties and their leaders.

Relying on   the factual and  exclusive newspaper reports/cuttings  of that year and as requested by our esteemed readers, particularly, not aware of Anantnag Riots of 1986, Kashmir Rechords is trying to bring out some of the facts related to those  ugly incidents of 1986.

Desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque

On February 3, 1986, there were reports that  Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, Israel  was allegedly desecrated. This  sparked widespread resentment in Kashmir for days together, as a result,  hooligans began to attack religious places of Kashmiri Pandits during the following days. In retaliation of reopening of Ram Janam Bhoomi temple  at Ayodhya during the same period, Hindu Temples were again  burned down and destroyed at  Wanpoh, Anantnag, Luk Bawan, Salar (Pahalgam Tehsil), Fatehpur, and  Sopore.  Adding fuel to the fire, Chief Minister Gul Shah announced the construction of a mosque inside Jammu Civil Secretariat. The move sparked widespread protests in Jammu as well. The State was divided between Jammu versus Kashmir.  The causality, as usual, was Kashmiri Pandit community as   the rioters  attacked Hindu-owned businesses and places of worship in Kashmir. Even the historic Akhara Building Complex of Srinagar was put on fire. The attacks sounded alarming bells, as most of the Kashmiri Pandits understood that very moment that  Kashmir was not now the place for their living!

Such was the scale of violence that even Army had to be called out at major towns of Kashmir.  Wills Trophy, which was to be hosted at Jammu, was postponed. Many Kashmiri Pandit leaders and organisations had registered their strong protest against loot, arson and desecration of their religious temples and shrines. Even President of India was requested to intervene.

Anantnag, which faced the brunt of the violence, had multiple attacks on Hindu temples. Many Kashmiri Hindu-owned shops, homes and properties were attacked and targeted across Kashmir. These developments led to a large number of Kashmiri Hindus thinking of shifting to places outside Kashmir. Revenue records of that period,  suggest that a vast chunk of Kashmiri Pandits, soon after Anantnag riots and sensing the mood of locals,  purchased plots in areas like Chinore, Bantalab, Tope Sherkhania  in Jammu in 1986 itself.

When DC, SP Anantnag were suspended

Newspaper reports suggest that even administration was helping rioters in their nefarious designs. This is evident from the fact that on February 27, 1986, even Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, Anantnag had to be suspended for dereliction of their duties. Besides,   nine State Government officials, mostly teachers were terminated from their services.  Ironically, locals of Anantnag observed a complete hartal in entire Anantnag town against the suspension of DC and the SP.

As the situation continued to deteriorate, GM Shah Ministry was dismissed on March 7, 1986 and Jagmohan as the Governor, took over the charge of the State. He was praised by all and sundry for his efforts to restore law and order.

Call it a coincidence or  synchronicity—- In 1990, Jagmohan was again in the picture…but this time, accused of `engineering’ migration by the same very politicians who fanned Anantnag riots of 1986!

N.B: Esteemed readers are welcome/encouraged  to  add/register their experience/opinion on 1986 Anantnag riots in the `Comments’ Section.   

Kindly see what netizen Javed Baigh ( @JavedBeigh) has to say about Anantnag Riots of 1986.