Region
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) which released their annual data for all crimes documented in 2016, state of J&K recorded no crime against foreigners in 2016 & 2015.
As per the report, 382 crimes were committed against foreigners in India out of which 154 were committed in Delhi itself and overall the crimes against foreigners have increased in India. In the year 2016, 12 foreigners were murdered, 19 raped, 19 robbed and 38 foreign women were assaulted in India.
Before 1947, when the British finally left India, Kashmir was an independent republic, before that it was a kingdom. After the British left there was an Invasion across the North Border by Pakistan. The Kashmir government at that time requested assistance from the Indian government, which they received. The Pakistan threat was quelled, yet that was the beginning of the real Kashmir strife, this because the Indian army has never left the Kashmir. It is now regarded by the people as a gross violation of their sovereignty, the Indian occupation. The young people are especially upset by this as the Indian army have their bases set up (nothing pretty about any army base) on some of their most beautiful landscapes. So, the general consensus is that the people want independence, I do sympathise with their plight. The Kashmir is a highly efficient producer of hydroelectricity, almost all of which is consumed by India. The Kashmir has to contend with very sporadic power supply, usually only having access for a few hours each night.
I was in the Kashmiri Himalayas in July 2016 when Burhan Wani, a Kashmiri freedom fighter was executed in Srinagar by Indian Armed forces. The result was a prolonged standoff between the people of Kashmir and the Indian army. This is important information for anyone considering coming to the Kashmir, it must be remembered that it is an area that is sometimes subject to civil unrest, which is centred in the commercial centres of the Kashmir, the mountain regions are always calm and peaceful. There have been very few issues for any travellers in recent history; five westerners were kidnapped and killed in 1995 by Pakistan forces whose demands were not met. These are, as far as the records show, the only western traveller casualties due to the political flare ups in the Kashmir. So in actual fact the Kashmir is safer for travellers than most third world destinations, that is my honest and humble opinion. I spent the summer of 2016 and felt nothing but safe and secure in the mountains with the beautiful kashmiri locals, I will not hesitate to return each year to take people along these beutiful trails.
Because of the ongoing political turmoil in the region many trekkers overlook the area. This is why it is so unspoilt to this day, why the trails can only be enjoyed on foot, beds made only in tents and why dinners are enjoyed by candle light.
In my personal experience, the people are very friendly to the few trekkers that visit the Kashmir. They are desperate for tourism and did their best to ensure that I felt welcomed, making it clear that their grievances were with the Indian government alone.
Marc Schroeder
