New Delhi: Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vijay Sankalp rally in Rajasthan’s Tonk, Kashmir experienced a sudden wave of fluster, a palpable feeling of fear- unbeknownst, people, took to social media amid apprehensions on late Saturday night. Also Read - Security Forces Recover Drone Dropped Arms, Ammunition From J&K's Akhnoor

Former IAS officer Shah Faesal tweeted, Also Read - No restriction on Accessing Any Website in Jammu and Kashmir: Centre Tells Lok Sabha

It started on Friday, when the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) ordered immediate movement of 100 companies of the paramilitary forces to Kashmir. The security personnel were subsequently airlifted within hours to the Valley.

SEPARATISTS UNDER ARREST

This sudden fortification of Kashmir was reasoned as a preventive measure against the government’s crackdown on separatists leaders, by arresting many while detaining several others in their houses.

Separatist Yasin Malik was the first to be arrested by the police from his Maisuma residence in Srinagar on Friday. This was followed by dozens of Jamaat-e-Islami separatists, including its chief Abdul Hamid Fayaz being arrested in overnight raids across Kashmir.

PETROL PUMPS RUN DRY, SUPPLIES OUT

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Tonk address had said, “Our fight is against terrorism and enemies of humanity. Our fight is for Kashmir not against Kashmir, not against Kashmiris. What happened to Kashmiri students in last few days, such things should not happen in this country.”

Contrary to the PM’s pledge of support, Kashmir slipped into a disaccord with vehicles lining up at petrol pumps, grocery stores witnessing people stocking essentials and pharmacies recording a spike in customers- indicators like a strife-stricken state preparing for unrest.

Kashmir Today: Cars bumping on each other at a filling station in Srinagar- People stocking up supplies, shutters down in some places and reports of protests/ sporadic clashes in some pockets- A sense of discomfort and an uneasy calm- pic.twitter.com/leEg3hbQP4 — zaffar iqbal (@szaffariqbal) February 23, 2019

Petrol pumps running dry, many essentials short as Kashmir goes into a panic buying mode — as several theories of escalation doing rounds here. — Peerzada Ashiq (@peerashiq) February 23, 2019

Is India and Pakistan going to war from tomorrow? If you live in #Kashmir you certainly would get that feeling, now. The streets are jammed, petrol pumps dry and people waiting in long lines. The government is issuing one after another emergency orders to add to that chaos. — Sameer Yasir (@sameeryasir) February 23, 2019

According to reports, the Government Medical College in Srinagar cancelled winter vacation of its faculty members and directed them to positively report for work on Monday. The chief medical officers of all districts were also directed to collect medicines and surgical disposable supplies in view of “prevailing situation” in Kashmir.

The Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, which provides ration to people through its outlets, directed its staff members in south Srinagar to ensure completing sale of food grains in their respective areas by Saturday evening. They were also directed to keep the ration depots and sale outlets open on Sunday as well.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted in distress,

To put a personal touch to the tweets I’ve been putting out about panic buying at petrol pumps, my sister just went to 4 pumps to put fuel in her car & didn’t get a drop from any of the 4. That’s what people in Srinagar are dealing with. — Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 23, 2019

ARTICLE 35A

Latest reports also suggest that the hearing on Article 35A, which was slated to take place in the Supreme Court on Monday has now been shifted to an unspecified date.

Article 35A provides special rights and privileges to natives of Jammu and Kashmir. It bars Indian citizens, other than those who are permanent resident of J&K, from seeking employment, settling in the state, acquiring immovable properties or undertaking any trade or business.

SATYA PAL MALIK SPEAKS

Reports of fighter jets hovering over Kashmir and a curfew-like feeling descending on parts of town have people anticipating a conflict with India’s belligerent neighbour.

Dissminng all such ‘rumours’, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik urged people to not panic over the movement of troops- as it was all part of a poll exercise.