18 years on, Sikhs await justice in Chattisinghpora case

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 19

The All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) on Monday expressed dismay over the delay in justice to the families of 35 Sikhs who were killed at Chattisinghpora in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on March 20, 2000.

In a statement, APSCC chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina regretted that no headway had been made in the case. He said the delay in justice had led to disillusionment among the Sikh community.

“It is important that justice is delivered to victim families. At the same time, investigation needs to be carried out in the sequence of events that unfolded later as 15 more persons belonging to the majority community were also killed in the aftermath of the Chattisinghpora massacre,” the APSCC chairman added.

Raina said since the locals “countered the claims of government that it had killed five militants involved in the killing of 35 Sikhs, it is imperative that the whole incident was probed in a professional manner so that culprits are brought to book and justice is delivered to the affected families.”

“Justice Pandian, who was asked to probe the incident, said the five persons claimed to be militants by the security agencies were actually innocent residents of Brakpora. Their bodies were burnt and hastily buried in a nearby village. Since the whole episode has come under a cloud it is important to hold the probe in a transparent manner,” he said.

“The police have failed to produce any hard evidence that the persons killed in the fake encounter were involved in the Chattisinghpora massacre. The committee formed by the government to find the culprits, has failed to solve the mystery. We urge both the state and Central government to go for a fresh probe,” he added.