Kashmir remains calm on sixth anniversary of Article 370 abrogation despite wave of speculations
Amid intense political speculation over statehood, daily life in the Valley continues undisturbed
Srinagar: The Kashmir Valley remained calm on Tuesday, the sixth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, IANS reported. Despite a surge of rumours circulating on social media and messaging platforms, the day passed without incident.
According to IANS, WhatsApp groups were abuzz with speculation, ranging from the possible restoration of statehood to fears of a further bifurcation of the Union Territory. Yet, daily life in Kashmir remained largely unaffected: school buses operated, shops opened on time, public transport ran as usual, and office-goers reported to work after a typical breakfast.
Rumour mills, often more active than verified news sources in the region, spun rapidly following high-level meetings in Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call on the President and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s meetings with top officials on the eve of August 5 added to the speculation.
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah posted on X, saying he would “stick his neck out” to say nothing untoward would happen, though he acknowledged that “nothing good” was expected either.
While some voices, including National Conference supporters, suggested that a bill to restore J&K’s statehood would be tabled in Parliament, others warned of a possible redivision of the UT, with Jammu potentially regaining statehood and the Valley remaining a Union Territory without a legislature.
Amid the confusion, self-styled Kashmir analysts and on-ground commentators called for restraint, warning that any rushed political move could unsettle the fragile calm and deepen public alienation.
IANS reported that the uncertainty led to practical concerns among citizens. Many began stocking food and medicines, while wealthier residents rushed to fill up their vehicle fuel tanks. In Kashmir, even an official denial is sometimes seen as lending credibility to the rumour it seeks to refute.
Authorities imposed limited preventive house arrests in certain areas to maintain law and order, but there were no major disruptions. By all accounts, IANS noted, the Valley functioned like any regular weekday.
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Man arrested for for raping mute woman in Jamshedpur
Jamshedpur (PTI): One person was arrested on the charge of raping a 30-year-old woman with speech impairment in Jamshedpur, a police officer said on Tuesday.
The incident occurred in the Azadnagar police station area of the city, and a case in this regard was registered based on the statement of the victim's brother on Monday.
The victim had gone to fetch water from the premises of a company on Monday evening. When she did not return even after a considerable time, family members went out in search of her and caught the accused red-handed, police said.
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The accused was a caretaker of the company.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Patamda) Bachandeo Kujjur said due to scarcity of water in the area, the victim used to fetch water from the premises of the company.
