Daily Times

International Forum for Justice, Human Rights (IFJHR) chairman Muhammad Ahsan Untoo in a statement has paid glowing tributes to the martyrs of first and worst massacres in the resistance history of occupied Kashmir in which 53 innocent civilians were martyred by Indian forces.

According to report, when Jagmohan Malhotra took over as the governor of disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir on 19 January 1990, for the second time in a bid to control the mass pro-freedom protests by Kashmiris. Just a day later on his second day in office on January 21, 1990, the first mass massacre took place in capital city Srinagar.

At least 52 people were killed and 250 others injured, according to survivors and media reports.

Ahsan Unto said, “It was the first massacre that took place after the armed rebellion against India broke out in the state in November 1989–which continues to remain an apple of discord between India and Pakistan since the partition in 1947.”

He stated that the Indian forces conducted house to house searches during the preceding night that day to flush out the militants and trace the weapons and other ammunition which according to them was kept in the houses of locals.

“The word spread among the people that during the house to house searches by Indian forces, the women were molested and it spread like wild fire across Kashmir Valley. People in thousands came out on roads and began to march towards the old city area of Srinagar.” Unto added.

“The procession from areas like Magarmal Bagh, Padshahi Bagh, Kursoo-Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar and Mehjoor Nagar reached Lal Chowk and began to move towards the old city via Gaw Kadal. At Ghanta Ghar, Lal Chowk, the police officer DSP Alla Baksh, stopped the procession and forced them to move towards Gaw-Kadal via Maisuma” report stated.

Chairman IFJHR said that the massacre is seen to have become a catalyst which propelled into a mass upsurge. Young men from hundreds of homes picked up guns to fight India out of Kashmir. In Srinagar, each mosque became a citadel of fervor.

“No known action was ever taken against the CRPF forces officials responsible for the massacre or against the officers present at Gawkadal that night. No government investigation was ever ordered into the incident.” Unto lamented

IFJHR in this regard approached all international and local human rights organizations to punish the culprits.