Omar Abdullah has voiced deep concern over what he describes as an increasingly hostile and suspicious environment for Kashmiris in the aftermath of the November 10 blast near Delhi’s Red Fort, which killed 14 people and triggered a massive security crackdown. The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said that ever since the suspected attacker was identified as someone with roots in the Valley, ordinary Kashmiris have come under heightened scrutiny, creating an atmosphere where they feel collectively blamed for the acts of a few individuals. According to Abdullah, the fallout of the blast has gone far beyond normal security precautions and has turned into a climate of mistrust that Kashmiris are struggling to navigate.
Speaking to reporters, Abdullah said he now feels uneasy even while performing routine tasks in Delhi, especially when driving his car without security personnel. He stated that simply having a vehicle with a Jammu and Kashmir registration number feels like an invitation for suspicion. In his words, it now “feels like a crime to drive a vehicle with a J&K number plate,” and he constantly worries that he could be stopped, questioned, or singled out for interrogation. He stressed that this perception is not limited to him but is shared by many Kashmiris who live, study, or work outside the region and suddenly find themselves under the scanner.
Abdullah explained that the messaging after the blast has created an impression that Kashmiris, as a group, are somehow responsible for the incident. This, he argued, is dangerous because it encourages stereotyping and puts innocent people at risk of harassment. He highlighted that similar patterns of suspicion have been seen in the past, but the current situation feels especially acute and widespread. According to him, the fear among Kashmiris is not only about police checks but also about social hostility, discrimination, and informal questioning by people who associate them with terrorism simply because of their origin.
His remarks came in response to the identification of the suspected attacker, Dr Umar Nabi, a 28-year-old assistant professor originally from Pulwama who was working at Al-Falah University in Haryana. Along with him, two more individuals—Dr Muzzamil Shakeel and Dr Shaheen Shahid—were arrested with arms and high-grade explosives. All three were said to have ties to banned terror groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. This group was labelled part of a “white-collar terror module,” a term authorities used to describe educated individuals operating in a highly organised network.
Investigators revealed that the arrests were made only hours before the explosion and were part of a larger operation spanning multiple states, including Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Police seized approximately 2,900 kilograms of explosives, describing the module as one of the more sophisticated and deceptive terror networks they had encountered. The discovery intensified fears and amplified the narrative that educated professionals from the Valley were being drawn into extremist operations, further complicating the public discourse around Kashmir.
Abdullah, however, used the moment to raise deeper questions about the region’s security landscape and the national government’s claims about peace returning to Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. He said that despite political assurances that removing the special status would end terrorism and bring stability, violence has continued both within the region and outside it. Addressing mediapersons in Kulgam, he pointed out that innocent people still lose their lives to terror incidents and that the cycle of bloodshed has not stopped even after decades of suffering.
He argued that instead of creating an atmosphere of collective blame, there should be accountability from those responsible for managing security in Jammu and Kashmir. According to him, if blasts are not happening in Delhi, they are occurring in the Valley, and this persistent violence contradicts the claims made by the central government about the supposed return of normalcy.
Meanwhile, security agencies have significantly tightened surveillance measures in several cities. In Faridabad alone, police checked more than 500 individuals from Jammu and Kashmir within days of the blast as part of enhanced screening procedures. While authorities insist this is necessary for national security, Abdullah warned that indiscriminate checks risk alienating law-abiding citizens who are already battling stereotypes and fear.
He concluded by stating that the current environment threatens to deepen divisions between Kashmiris and the rest of the country. He urged the government to adopt a more sensitive and balanced approach, reminding officials that many Kashmiris living outside the Valley are students, professionals, workers, and families who deserve dignity and fairness, not suspicion and hostility.
