Tattoos of AK-47s, crescent moons, and slogans like "Azaadi" are now being erased by thousands in Kashmir.
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00:00These tattoos you see being removed are resistance tattoos.
00:13They include AK-47 motives, crescent moons and slogans which were once worn as symbols
00:18of defiance by some youths in Kashmir.
00:21But many were getting them removed following the deadly Pahalgam attack on April 22, 2025,
00:26fearing the tattoos might catch the attention of the local police.
00:29But the tradition of sporting such tattoos dates back decades.
00:32In the 1950s, many Kashmiris inked crescents and stars.
00:36In the 1990s, slogans like Aazadi became popular.
00:40Bashir, a laser technician in Srinagar, said many had gotten these tattoos after the abrogation
00:45of Article 370.
00:46You will see that after the article, AK-47, the crescent star, it was more than a threat to
00:54us.
00:55You will not be able to remove the tattoos.
00:57Bashir says he treats up to 150 people, removing their tattoos using high-intensity lasers.
01:02He's erased over thousands so far from arms and necks using high-intensity light pulses, he
01:07says.
01:08Bashir says he began his clinic as many sought to remove religious tattoos they saw as un-Islamic,
01:14wanting to be buried pure.
01:15With tensions high, more than 20 clinics now offer removals across Srinagar with prices ranging
01:27from Rs. 300 to Rs. 3,000.