India: Police officer lynched in Srinagar June 23

Event

A police officer was lynched outside a mosque in the Nowhatta area of Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) on Friday, June 23. The police officer, dressed in plain clothes, allegedly opened fire on a mob that attacked him. Locals gathered at the scene where three people were injured, stripping the officer and stoning him to death.

The incident, which reportedly caused outrage in the region, happened during Friday prayers at around noon when prominent Kashmiri separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was speaking at the centuries-old mosque in the Nowhatta area.

Context

Kashmir's police force has been under increased pressure by militants, who stepped up attacks on police and military troops. The armed revolt in the Muslim-majority region against rule by India is ongoing since 1989.

Tensions increased in late May 2017 in the Kashmir region after Sazar Ahmad Bhat, the former leader of the Hizbul Mujahideen armed group, was killed during a security operation on May 27. Violent anti-India protests took place throughout the region in reaction to his death.

Advice

As a reminder, authorities advise against all travel to Jammu and Kashmir, as well as to the border region with Pakistan (direct vicinity of the Line of Control) due to the high threat of terrorism, with the exception of the city of Jammu and the region of Ladakh. Western governments usually advise their citizens against all but essential travel to the city of Srinagar.