Ground Report on J&K Elections: Where have stone pelters disappeared?

It was the April of 2018. I was headed to the Secretariat on my second visit to Srinagar to meet someone important. The streets appeared normal, with the usual hustle-bustle. After spending 45 minutes at the Secretariat, my driver and I headed back to our car to leave.

However, as we drove away, we encountered a sudden thud when a stone struck the car’s bonnet. The driver quickly pulled over car to the side of the road so that I could step out to check what had happened. Nothing would prepare me for what I witnessed: dozens of youngsters, with their faces covered, were pelting stones towards us. I could gauge the aggression in their eyes. It was scary as well as shocking to see this happening in real time for we had only heard about stone pelting before this. It was a common sight in the Valley before the amendment of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.

Since the abrogation of the draconian article, numerous stories have emerged in media about the region’s journey towards stability. Among them are those of former stone pelters who put this disturbing past behind them to embrace a better future where life is much more peaceful.

Trapped by political parties and separatists, saved by stability

Arman (name change), a 22-year-old auto driver from Downtown in Srinagar, who was pelted stones regularly, recalls how his journey into violence began in 2016. “I clearly remember the day when people from agencies (read separatists and Valley-based political parties) approached me for the first time. They said Azaadi will come only by taking up stones and guns. They also offered us money. We used to get Rs 1,000 to 3,000 daily for pelting stones.”

“They would tell us, ‘If you throw stones, then the CRPF will leave, the Army will run away, and finally Kashmir will be ours. We can do whatever we want’,” recalls Arman, mulling over the promises made to them that they once believed. The words were powerful, influencing young minds with visions of a Kashmir free from security forces. But now, looking back, Ayaan sees how those promises were nothing more than a dangerous illusion meant to manipulate and provoke.

“Whenever we refused to take part in stone pelting, the same people who paid us for it blackmailed us,” Ayaan shared, his voice tinged with frustration. “They’d threaten to tell the police we were militants if we didn’t comply.” It was a vicious cycle—trapped between fear and manipulation. The very people who encouraged violence were the ones holding their lives hostage, leaving them with little choice but to follow orders and trundle down a dangerous path.

Arman, currently facing four FIRs for stone pelting, shared his thoughts with Organiser. “2016 se 2019 tak Kashmir ki halat bahut kharab thi (From 2016 to 2019, the situation in Kashmir was terrible),” he recalled, adding, “The streets looked tensed. It was anger and frustration against our own people.” Ayaan’s voice reveals the dead weight of those years, when chaos seemed endless and the youth of the Valley were caught in a cycle of violence, their minds unable to gauge the bigger picture.

He emphasised that the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 marked a turning point in his life. “The agencies paying us to pelt stones shut down. Now, Kashmir is witnessing development, roads and hospitals are being built, children are going to school and so on. I ruined my future by getting involved in stone pelting, but post abrogation of 370, things have stabilised.”

Now, many like Arman have found themselves living a life of calm and normalcy, something they could never imagine. “We thought stone pelting was the only way to be heard. Now, it’s a different world. The streets are quiet, people are going about their lives. The anger we felt seems to have dissipated.”

The youngsters were brainwashed with promises of Azaadi (freedom) by separatist leaders in the Valley. Little did they realise that this concept of freedom was a hogwash considering Kashmir is an integral part of India and the distorted, hypocritical narrative was being spread to further noxious agendas of political parties and

Pak-sponsored terror outfits. “We were told that by raising slogans, we would get freedom. They brainwashed us, promising our own rule.” When asked about local political parties promising to restore Article 370 if they return to power, Arman responded, “Things have changed in Kashmir since its abrogation and we do not realise how redundant it was.” However, his appeal to the Government and Prime Minister remains, “Our youth, with degrees like BA and LLB, are sitting at home. We need employment.”

Another youth from Downtown, Salman, 21, recalls how the local political parties provoked the youth. “They claimed the Indian Government wanted to enslave us!” Salman is facing three FIRs for stone pelting. He remembers how easily he fell into the trap, lured by the propaganda. “Back then, we believed we were fighting for something bigger, but now I realise how misguided we were,” he admits quietly.

Emotional Trap of ‘Azaadi’

Thirty-year-old Wasim (name change), another resident of Downtown, had a different experience with stone pelting. “I never got paid for it,” he admits. “I just joined the crowd. The slogans of Azaadi stirred something in us. It made us emotional. We never thought about the consequences.”

Now, the weight of those consequences seems heavy. “My parents are unwell, and I want to go to Kuwait for a better job. But I can’t get a passport because of the FIRs against me for stone pelting,” he says. Wasim spent months in jail and now, after reflecting on his past, expresses a desire for change. “I want to meet Prime Minister Modi and share my feelings,” he adds, his voice firm with a newfound resolve. Irfan blamed the previous administrations of Mufti’s PDP and Abdullah’s National Conference. “Humare upar kisi ne reham nahi kia, humein bus barbadi mili (No one showed us mercy. We only got destruction). Our children, some as young as 12, died under their rule. While they built palaces, owned properties and hotels abroad, we were left with nothing.”

When asked if he would participate in the ongoing Assembly elections and cast his vote, he responded, “I’ve never voted before, but I will this time—for the future generations. What happened to us should never happen to others. I wronged my people and my country. Kashmir was destroyed by these agencies and political parties.”

His appeal to the Government is simple but sincere. “Infrastructure is improving, but we need more job opportunities. I also request PM Modi that those who are facing stone pelting cases from 2016 onwards should be forgiven so that they can start their lives afresh.”

Pakistan’s agenda in Kashmir has failed

“Pakistan’s agenda in Kashmir has failed since the abrogation of Article 370,” said another former stone pelter from Downtown, revealing a clear understanding of the forces at play. “It was Pakistan that financed stone-pelting. Every wrong thing that happened in Kashmir was because of them. They fund these agencies (read separatists and Valley-based political parties) to stir up chaos. No Kashmiri is a militant by choice; this violence is instigated by Pakistan. At these elections, I will vote for the party that fights the drug mafia and works for the future of Kashmiri children,” he says, with a sense of responsibility towards the coming generations.

When asked if he ever considered siding with Pakistan during his stone-pelting days, his response was firm. “I was born in India, and I will die in India. Pakistan wants to destabilise Kashmir, which is the head of India, but as people here are witnessing development, with youths getting education and jobs, we realise what’s right for us. Pakistan humara kya accha karega. Wo apna hi accha kar le ye bahut hain.” Asking about the days when he used to pelt stones at the Army and chant slogans of “Pakistan Zindabad” and “Azaadi-Azaadi,” he shared the anger that fuelled this action. “We were told that the Army would shoot us on sight; they would rape our sisters,” he recalled, his voice filled with bitterness from those memories. “They showed us videos of brutality—people entering mosques, burning Quran. They used to show us provocative speeches while calling for jihad in the name of Azaadi.”

“Those videos and words compelled us to seek revenge,” he continued. “We started dreaming of becoming shaheed, fighting against what we believed to be the oppressor. We thought it was the right path.” Looking back now, he sees how those emotions were manipulated, how they were led astray by a narrative designed to stir up hatred and violence.

“It’s clear how deeply we were caught in a narrative that glorified violence, pushing us towards a path we didn’t fully understand. Today, we have good friends in the Army and J&K Police. They’ve made us understand how anti-India agencies took advantage of us.”

Stone pelter transforming lives of others

In 2014, the streets of Kashmir were alive with the fervour of upcoming elections. Political parties rallied for support, and tensions simmered beneath the surface. Wajahat Bhat, aged 15, fuelled by anger and frustration, found himself in the midst of the chaos. Along with a group of like-minded individuals, he stood defiant as police vehicles, packed with officers, rolled into the town to maintain order.

As the heavy, armoured Casspir vehicle approached, Wajahat’s rage boiled over. Without thinking twice, he grabbed stones and hurled it at the vehicle multiple times with all his strength.

The stone struck the vehicle with a loud thud, almost shattering the windows. It was a bold act, one that could have led to serious consequences. But in that moment, Wajahat felt invincible. As evening descended, his act of defiance became the talk among secret groups, and people approached him, patting him on the back, some even hugging him in admiration for his courage.

But what felt like a victory, it was just the beginning of Wajahat’s journey. Little did he know, the real change in his life would come not through defiance, but through understanding.

In 2017, Wajahat found himself sitting across a senior J&K Police official. This wasn’t just any officer; this was someone who spoke with empathy, someone who listened. It was an unexpected encounter, and through their conversation, Wajahat began to view things differently. The officer wasn’t the enemy he had once imagined. Instead, he became a mentor of sorts, someone who could guide him away from the darkness he had been drifting towards Wajahat realised then how close he had been to losing himself, to slipping down a path that could have led to violence or, worse, a life as a terrorist.

Stone pelting incidents had been reduced to zero in 2023, compared to 1,767 in 2018

“I owe my life to him,” Wajahat often reflects. “If it weren’t for that meeting, I would’ve been lost, my life wasted.” With this newfound clarity, in 2018, he founded the “Save Youth, Save Future” Foundation. It wasn’t just an organisation; it was a lifeline for the Kashmiri youth, offering them the hope and direction that Wajahat himself had once needed. He understood deeply how the young people of his land were always surrounded by stories of death and despair. But Wajahat had a new vision — a vision where the youth could dream of a better future and build instead of destroy.

Since then, Wajahat’s Foundation has touched the lives of nearly 3,000 young people. Through workshops and discussions, he has helped them see beyond the conflict, beyond the chaos, toward a brighter, more peaceful future. The boy who once threw stones at armoured vehicles now throws himself into building bridges of understanding and change. His journey is a testament to the power of transformation.

Reflecting on his perception of the Army, he said, “While growing up, I used to think they had encroached on our land. I thought of all as cruel and enemies of Kashmiris; I hated them. But now, I realise they were and are here to protect us.” The changes after the abrogation of Article 370 have made a lasting impression on him.

“We’re witnessing how the bunkers on the roads have been removed. The fact is as long as violence remains, security forces will remain here to save us. There were people who used to tell us that the Army, CRPF, and police were oppressors. But now, I see how those lies were meant to manipulate us.”

“Kashmir was a graveyard…”

Recalling the days when the deaths and funerals of young militants like Burhan Wani were celebrated, Wajahat noted how those events inspired many youths in the Valley to take up stones—and even guns. “The gatherings at those funerals were emotionally, stirring. Many of us thought martyrdom was the path, but now I see how wrong we were.” Earlier, when a terrorist was killed and gunshots were fired in their honour at the funeral, we believed that becoming a martyr was something noble.”

“This was the mindset that many in the Valley, including myself, once held. The sounds of gunfire at these funerals weren’t just noise—they were a signal, a symbol of honour that stirred something within us. It felt like dying for the cause of ‘Azaadi’ was a matter of pride, something worth aspiring to. We thought martyrdom was the ultimate goal, a sacrifice to be celebrated.”

“At that time, Kashmir felt like a graveyard where funerals and deaths were celebrated, and barbaadi (destruction) was seen as a cause for pride. But in the last few years, things have changed significantly.”

“The way Jamaat and separatists glorified figures like Osama bin Laden manyused to see him as a role model. In Kashmir, the Maulvis celebrated Mullah Omar and even praised Baghdadi, further shaping the mindset of the youth,” recalls Wajahat.

“People are now thinking about prosperity of Kashmir,” Wahajat said, reflecting on the positive changes. He also praised the administration for its efforts. “The Government is taking strict action against anyone who even thinks of inciting violence. Hartals are a thing of the past now. Schools and hospitals remain open every day.”

According to Government data, there were 2,654 incidents of stone pelting in Jammu & Kashmir in 2010. While in 2023, however, not a single stone-pelting incident was reported.

The Centre informed the Supreme Court that organised stone pelting incidents had been reduced to zero in 2023, compared to 1,767 in 2018. Likewise, organised shutdown calls by secessionist forces decreased from 52 to zero.

The voices of these former stone pelters reflect a common theme — they were misled, manipulated, and used for someone else’s dirty agenda. Today, they are looking forward to building a new future for themselves and Kashmir with support from Government. With stability on the rise and a growing desire forn a change, these former stone pelters are now focused on ensuring that their future, and that of the younger generations, is free from the violence and manipulation of the past.