Manufacturing Hatred

That was the first and the last time he was caught by police red-handed. He was kept under detention in a police station for 15 days. “I can’t forget those two weeks. Slaps, kicks, beating by batons and sticks was each day’s menu. I think policeman of every rank beat me in those 15 days,” says Harris. He could not attend the funeral of his brother. “I was not allowed to,” he says angrily.

When Harris was released, Majeed says it took some people to take him out of police station since he couldn’t stand properly. That day has changed Harris, Majeed says. He now loses his temper quite easily and tries to get involved in every fight in and around the shop. “Harris was a sober boy. I have seen him growing up. But his brother’s death has changed him. He has so much anger within him that he is looking to give it a vent every now and them.”

Majeed says these boys are losing their lives to this conflict in a different way. Majeed has himself been victim of tortures and detentions in early 1990’s. Though he is reluctant to talk about it but he says the government and its forces are changing their strategies to handle Kashmiri youth.

“In our times, they were handling the operations quite overtly but now they are torturing these young men psychology more than physically,” says Majeed. Recalling one of the interrogations that he has faced, Majeed says he was taken to a dark room, “When the detainees didn’t agree to open his mouth, the forces used to say, ‘isay jahaz par chada do’ (Lift him on a plane). Jahaz (Plane) was an arrangement of four ropes hung from the ceiling from which the detainee was hung face down by his arms and legs. I was kept in that position for days together. My joints still pain.”

Majeed says he understands Harris’s pain as a result of which he does not let him and another boy, Omar, an accused stone pelter leave his agency.“I know if they leave my place, it would be difficult for them to manage and earn.” Both Harris and Omar say Majeed manages everything so well. Police has time and again raided his agency and harassed him but he has never complained.

Omar, a resident of the same area, was first picked up in early 2002. “I was 14 then. I had gone out to purchase milk and was picked up police from there”. Then he was kept under detention for two days. “When there used to be no mob, no disturbance, they still used to call me to the police station. It was harassing and embarrassing.”

After 2008 unrest, Omar says the police raided his house. “I was watching a movie. My father was having dinner and my little sister was sleeping. The other sister, who was recently being operated upon, was lying on his other side,” he recalls.

“Suddenly the door of the room opened and a policeman came in and started abusing us. My mother and father were beaten. The wastage pipe attached to my sister was pulled out and thrown out from the window. My little sister was slapped and she fell unconscious on the floor.” This memory brought tears in his fearless eyes and a pause followed. Police couldn’t arrest Omar that day as he ran away. “I didn’t want to get caught and tortured for doing nothing. I still remember the constable’s face who had slapped my three-year-old daughter like sister. I am looking for a chance to hit him back.”

Almost 13 FIR’s are lodged against Omar and 38 challans are in his name. Continuous harassment, raids and detentions has compelled Omar to join a pro-freedom camp of Kashmir and says after joining the camp the behaviour of police has changed. Harassments and abuses have reduced, he mentions.

Harris and Omar have their own stories and explanations of why they became stone pelters. Since these two incidents happened, the two boys participate in most stone pelting incidents. “Our fight is not for the nation we live in. It is for our own self. We can’t do any good to ourselves. How can we do anything for Kashmir?” Harris says. “Stone pelting gives me pleasure and contentment as I still remember I couldn’t see my dead brother’s face and couldn’t participate in his funeral,” Harris says.

“I am still looking for an opportunity to slap that constable and surely will succeed one day, hopefully,” Omar adds.

(All names of the victims have been changed)