“Leave Kashmir or Face Death” — Threats on the Walls
As I arrived at the gates of Jammu and Kashmir, I was met with stories of terror written across the walls and hearts of the people. Slogans like “Indian Dogs Go Back” and “Leave Kashmir in 24 Hours or Face Death” were once scrawled across homes, streets, and mosques. These weren’t just words — they were warnings. Warnings that forced thousands to flee their homes in the middle of the night, carrying nothing but fear and uncertainty.
This report uncovers what many believe to be an ethnic cleansing campaign that has scarred the Kashmir Valley for over three decades.
Eyewitness to History: Ethnic Terror from 1989
I sat down with a man who has lived and worked in Kashmir since 1986. He witnessed firsthand the transformation of the valley from peaceful coexistence to brutal hostility. According to him, the major turning point was 1989, when political instability and militancy took over. Selective killings of Hindu leaders and activists sent shockwaves through communities.
By January 1990, a campaign of terror began. Messages were painted on homes of non-Muslims — mainly Hindus — telling them to “leave Kashmir within 24 hours or die.” Posters, mosque announcements, and coordinated intimidation triggered a mass exodus.
Over 500,000 people (roughly half a million) — most of them Kashmiri Pandits — were displaced. Entire families fled to Jammu and other parts of India with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
Ethnic Cleansing: Targeting One Religion
The account I recorded describes ethnic cleansing with chilling precision. Hindus, already a minority in the region, were not just targeted — they were erased. If a Hindu laborer came to Kashmir from outside, they became a target. And the man I interviewed makes it clear: he holds Pakistan responsible.
He claims that many captured militants were identified as Pakistani nationals, sent across the border to destabilize Kashmir and instill fear among Indian citizens, especially minorities. The aim, according to him, was to make the valley inhospitable to non-Muslims and provoke India into military action.
From Darkness to Development: The Turning Point of 2019
After decades of unrest, a turning point came on August 5, 2019, when the Government of India revoked Article 370, stripping Jammu & Kashmir of its special status and integrating it more directly into India. This move was controversial, but according to many locals I spoke with, it brought order.
Tourism soared from fewer than 50,000 visitors in 2018 to over 3 million annually in recent years. Businesses reopened. Streets became safer. Indian flags flew in neighborhoods where once there were only cries for “Azadi” — independence.
And for the first time in 35 years, people across Kashmir were openly saying, “We are with India.”
Terror Returns: The April 22 Attack
But peace was short-lived. On April 22, tragedy struck again. An attack, allegedly by Pakistan-based militants, killed innocent civilians — reigniting anger across India. The Indian government’s response was swift and targeted, avoiding civilian casualties while neutralizing insurgent infrastructure.
The man I interviewed praised both governments for showing restraint and emphasized that war only brings suffering to humanity.
One Land, One Culture — Divided by Borders
He ended our conversation with a powerful thought: “Culturally, we are the same. From Lahore to Kashmir, we eat the same food, speak the same language. The only thing dividing us is a border.”
His hope — and mine — is that both India and Pakistan move away from war and toward cooperation. That development replaces destruction. That families can return to their homes without fear of being hunted because of their religion.
Final Thoughts
What I’ve shown in this report isn’t my opinion — it’s what I’ve seen, what I’ve heard, and what the people of Kashmir have lived through. Ethnic cleansing, political betrayal, war, and finally a fragile return to normalcy.
But with tensions high, history teaches us one thing: peace in Kashmir remains a battle not just of borders, but of minds and hearts.
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