Two Kashmiri Youth Lost Lives in Alleged Fake Encounter Amid Rising Tensions in IIOJK

As IIOJK reels from recent bloodshed, Indian troops have once again been accused of state-sponsored violence, this time executing two Kashmiri youth in what many call a staged encounter in Baramulla district.

In a fresh act of what has been widely condemned as state terrorism, Indian forces killed two young Kashmiris in a suspected fake encounter in Baramulla district of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The killings occurred during a cordon and search operation in the Sarjeevan Uri Nala area. According to reports, the operation turned violent, resulting in the death of the two youths, who were allegedly targeted under false pretenses.

Indian troops have dubbed the action as “Operation TIKKA.” Security officials claimed that their personnel observed suspicious movement involving two to three individuals near the Uri Nala. They asserted that troops stationed at advanced posts challenged the movement, triggering what they described as a “brief but intense exchange of fire.”

However, eyewitnesses and local sources challenge this narrative. Many believe the operation was fabricated to justify the unlawful killings, a pattern frequently observed in the region under Indian occupation. Such encounters are often staged to present a narrative of counter-insurgency success while masking extrajudicial killings.

This incident comes at a particularly volatile time, shortly after the Pahalgam massacre where 26 mostly non-local civilians were killed by unidentified assailants. The region has since been on high alert, with increased military deployment and aggressive operations taking place in several districts.

Human rights organizations have long criticized the Indian military’s operations in IIOJK, accusing them of using “fake encounters” as a tactic to instill fear and suppress dissent. The latest killings in Baramulla only add to the growing list of alleged violations.

Locals in the area mourn the deaths and demand an impartial investigation. Families of the victims have denied any links between the youths and militant activities, stating they were innocent civilians caught in a web of political violence.

The killings have once again drawn attention to the deteriorating human rights situation in IIOJK. With tensions already at a peak following the Pahalgam killings, such operations only fuel anger and deepen distrust among the population.

While Indian officials maintain their stance on the legitimacy of Operation TIKKA, civil society groups and international observers continue to raise alarm about the pattern of impunity enjoyed by security forces in the region.

The incident is another grim chapter in the ongoing struggle for justice and freedom in IIOJK, where the voices of ordinary people are often drowned out by the sound of gunfire and the silence of unaccountability.