is it safe in kashmir now?

asif_kashmir

The attempts at trying to make Jammu and Kashmir look unsafe are pathetic. Its so sad to see people highlighting an isolated incident and trying to make it seem like its routine. If its blood and gore you seek you may as well do a google image search on "Mumbai 26 -11" or "Delhi Bomb Blasts" or even "Delhi Road Accidents". You are as safe in Kashmir as you are anywhere in the world... and nowhere is safe when its destined, not even a Hotel Taj or Hilton. And if you want to trust travel advisories issued by foreign governments maybe you would be interested in this. It has been issued by Israel which has MOSAD, the best Army Intelligence Service in the world. Would people now stop going to Mumbai??

kaustabh

I agree with capt_mahajan fully. There is no real point discussing these things. All matter of feelings and feelings is never the same as logic. Still we are discussing and I think one more post to this thread is necessary.

The nature of terrorist problem in India or better say in the Globe has long changed its nature. I agree Vally or better say Srinagar(which is one of the cities again) has record of attacking tourists but shouldn't that very isolated? How many tourists died in J&K in last 10 years? I think only Mumbai attack will cross that mark. If you are really scared of the terrorists then which part of the world is safe for you? Sleeper cells are there in all major cities in the world, just waiting for a chance to kill common people(Not necessarily cops or Govt officers). There is warning that Calcutta may get a car bomb strike during the Puja, explosives has been dispatched from Nepal Intelligence report tipped. Do people stopped hitting the roads? No, not at all. So why blame J&K alone? People still traveling on London Metro. Now I may got a reply that security arrangement there is better, and with that reply I have to stop. Anyone can even decide India the total country is not safe. It is all matter of feelings. Nothing can stop that feeling. I feel JnK is safe enough to visit. Somebody may not. It is after all individual safety.

vistet

Kashmiri discussions has always bred some peculiar rules of logic ... as now when what has happened in one place is compared to what might happen in another place in the future.

In the interest of fairness I made the later search. Unsurpringly I couldn´t find a single hit for bombings in Delhi in 2009. Meanwhile , in spite of decreasing violence , Srinagar has had grenade attacks every year for more than a decade.
I have no problems with someone saying I love Kashmir in spite of ( I did return to a Nepal with a ongoing war ) , I do have have a problem with when denial turns in to disinformation.


So is this a valid comparison - comparing one of the largest cities in the world with a town like Srinagar ? Obviously eight killed and thirty wounded in a single day , or seven killed in a bus bombing somehow means more in a much smaller setting , it increases the chances of being affected by it.
Then again you have the issue of isolated vs. repeated incidents.

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Ms Princess W

Well I've been living here awhile and I don't feel any less safe than I did in my podunk hometown in northern Minnesota *shrug*

PeakXV

As long as you don't consider grenades as unsafe then yes safe. However, a quick 'News' google with 'Srinagar' & 'grenade' brings up noless than 6 pages of citations within the past 2 months. Comparitvely, entering 'Canada' & grenade' brings up 10 citations .... all pertaining to the War in Afghanistan. They 'seem' to be throwing those little explosives around like bean bags at a 6 year old's birthday party as of late & though you still have to be fairly unlucky to be at the wrong place @ the wrong time .... it is time to clean up the neighborhood a bit more - especially as they hope to attain the world heritage city status.

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Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

namaste_cat

It's just as safe or unsafe in mid-Oct as it is any other time of the year. Things change quickly in Kashmir, so other than checking (frequently and just before leaving home) the numerous links already posted all over this forum, there is no way to know.

If the news reports scare you (totally understandable), I'd cancel because predicting the situation now or at any time is darn near impossible.

Golden Chapati

It is only Srinagar old town and the regions on the frontiers that may give you a problem. Westerners are not targeted. The area around Dal Lake felt as safe as anywhere else. Pahalgam and Aru where amazing places and I couldn't imagine anyone giving you problems there. Just remember it is a very conservative place and dressing modestly, both for men and women alike, will be respected. In those places people say avoid taking politics, but I had many discussions with locals who all seemed very open minded and switched on about the middle-eastern situation. Beyond all this, I absolutely loved Kashmir and will definitely be going back there next available opportunity. By the end of a few weeks, I was being invited to weddings and all sorts. Great experience.

Ms Princess W

I took my first trip into the Old City yesterday and had a great time exploring the area. The atmosphere there was absolutely no different than anywhere else in the area. Very nice people, and like everywhere else here, the soldiers looked bored out of their minds LOL