Since the abrogation of Article 370, Kashmir has been quiet, as eerily quiet as it is before a storm.

I had gone home to get married, with no idea what was to happen. I had no way of knowing I would be thrashed during the time my family was preparing to revel in festivities.

WHEN THE MOST MEMORABLE TIME TURNED INTO A NIGHTMARE

What was supposed to be the most memorable time of my life, turned into an episode I am trying hard to erase from my mind.

After all, who would want to get thrashed in front of one's spouse, just days after getting hitched.

I had taken leave from work till August 22, but since communication had been blocked after abrogation of Article of 370, I decided to shorten my stay and return to Delhi.

On August 14, at about 5.30 pm, I ventured out from my in-laws' house in Khayam, a locality in Srinagar.

It must have been Day 10 of the curfew.

ALL I WANTED WAS TO KEEP MY FAMILY SAFE

All I wanted was to prepone my travel and take my family with me to Delhi to keep them safe. Kashmir is running out of resources and news of protests were pouring in from everywhere.

My wife and I decided to get a ticket for an earlier date from the airport which is 10 km from where we were.

As we reached the Polo View area which runs parallel to Lal Chowk, we ran into a convoy which was heavily armed. The entire stretch of road was blocked with barbed wires as far as I could see.

I, an ordinary civilian, not trying to stir any kind of trouble, got off from the car to make a path for myself so I could drive through.

A CRPF jawan suddenly came in front of my car and started to hurl abuses at us.

I knew the situation was sensitive, so I got off from the car and and politely tried to explain my predicament.

MEETING AN ANGRY SOLDIER IN KASHMIR

But I guess the atmosphere in the Valley is so charged with fear and anger that I could see him fuming. He said it was because of the people in Kashmir that he could not speak to his family.

"I can't speak to my four-year-old daughter and my ailing mother who stays in Ranchi," the jawan said in anger and hit me.

I tried to calm him down. I failed. A second jawan came and started breaking the mirrors and windshield of my car.

I could see the terrified face of my wife. I tried to stop the jawans from intimidating her. It made them more angry and they started hitting me on my back with plastic batons and rifle butts.

I was in pain and couldn't open my eyes but I could hear them screaming that they were suffering because of us, Kashmiris. I never felt more embarrassed and helpless. I was at the mercy of these angry jawans who would not even listen to me.

The irony of the situation is that there were a few Jammu and Kashmir policemen in a vehicle nearby watching the entire scene unfold before them.

One of them shouted at me: "Why did you come out of your house? If we try to stop them, they will beat us also." And they drove off as more blows rained on me.

Later, lying in a hospital, I remembered what the jawans were saying while beating me so mercilessly. They were as frustrated as the Kashmiris are.

FEAR AND ANXIETY PREVAILS

Non-communication inside the Valley has created fear and anxiety in the civilian population as well as the army personnel stationed there.

It is not just us, civilians, who lost communication with the world outside. It was the armymen standing guard who couldn't do so too.

Lying there, on that hospital bed, I thought we are so different, yet so same. And I couldn't bring myself to hate him anymore.

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