In short, the entire state, irrespective of caste, creed or community and cutting across party lines and political considerations expressed their righteous indignation over the tragic event. This, indeed, is a glorious example of human brotherhood, for which Kashmir is known through ages. Hopefully this should have served as a lesson to those, who consider even a genuine dissent by Kashmiris’ as anti-national. But that was not to be, for one does not know what amount of innocent blood is yet to be shed in Kashmir till this wisdom dawns upon the powers that be.

On 24th just four days after Chattisinghpora incident, five natives of Barariangan (Anantnag) and adjoining areas were picked up by the forces, as per the petition filed by the residents of Barariangan, before the chief judicial magistrate (Anantnag) who ordered an independent probe. The very next day (i.e. 25th March), the police claimed that during an encounter, "five militants responsible for the massacre of Sikhs" had been eliminated. On hearing this, thousands of people took to the streets in Anantnag to protest against the disappearance of the five natives. The residents alleged that those killed, were innocent civilians, picked up on 24.3.2000 and not the militants, as alleged. That the five slain people had been burnt beyond recognition and buried in unholy haste just on the heels of Chattisinghpora even gave credence to the apprehensions of the local that the killed persons were civilians and not foreign militants. These events caused uproar in the state assembly, where the CPI (M) demanded a probe into the matter, holding that the allegations of the locals were of serious nature, involving precious human lives. Dr. Farooq Abdullah assured the assembly that he would inquire into the alleged disappearances of the youth and inform the house.

3rd April, turned to be yet another black day in the recent bloody history of Kashmir, where joint pose of state police, SOG, and CRPF emptied their automatic guns on a procession of over 5000 unarmed villagers, hailing from Brakpora, Brariangan and Uttersoo villages of Anantnag district, who were expressing their concern over the reign of terror let loose by certain security agencies in the area, after the troops killed five of their members in an allegedly false encounter at Panchalthan, Anantnag, Seven unarmed civilians got killed on the spot and eleven injured. One of the injured latter succumbed, raising the death toll to eight. CPI (M) state secretary M.Y. Tarigami, who reached the spot the next day, interacted with the assembled people who came out of their homes to talk to him, despite police attempts to restrict them. He was, however, permitted to speak to the crowd, but prevented from going to Brariangan and Uttersoo. He held the administration responsible for all the bunglings in the situation especially after Chattisinghpora massacre. He wondered, with the gun-totting people, making decisions on the ground, who actually was governing the state. He deplored that the people in the belt were facing miseries with so many of them allegedly kidnapped. On Panchalthan encounter, he said, the people there, have evidence to refute the police claims. He conveyed the people’s desire to lodge murder cases against the identified killers rather than go for mere announcement of indefinite probes. He made it clear that the tragic loss of human live could have been avoided if the state authorities responded to the appeals of the locals to probe into the veracity of the alleged fake encounter at Panchalthan. Alas the government ordered a probe, but after the loss of precious human lives.

The voice of the civil society in Kashmir is drowned in blood today. The "pro-active" police of the centre has further worsened the situation during recent years. The hopes of peace and normalcy seem to be no more than illusions. Even the Kargil encounter was forced upon the poor people of the country thanks to the criminal negligence of the central government. The policy of total reliance on the gun has brought immense miseries to the common man and has not been able to solve any problem. Longer the delay in politically solution, greater the changes of Talbanisation of Kashmir society and opening of the door for foreign intervention.

An impression prevails in the valley that certain elements in the forces have been committing excesses upon the innocent civilians. Unfortunately, some of the instances cited are not entirely unfounded. This, sometimes, tends to generate an atmosphere of mistrust between the common man and their supposed defenders. Cover up of the elements among the forces, against whom public accusation of excesses are made can neither serve any national interest nor bring about improvement in the prevailing situation, which continues to be grim and tense. Secular and patriotic forces must work for a credible mechanism in the state to allay the genuine apprehensions of innocent unarmed civilians. The forces should not only conduct themselves as real friends and protectors but also seem to be doing so in the eyes of common people.