1993 massacre: Sopore remains shut, Hizb chief pays tribute | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

1993 massacre: Sopore remains shut, Hizb chief pays tribute

Hindustan Times | By, Srinagar
Jan 06, 2016 08:42 PM IST

Sopore, a town in the north Kashmir, remained shut on Wednesday to commemorate the killing of nearly 50 civilians and destruction of more than 500 shops by the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel 23 years ago.

Sopore, a town in the north Kashmir, remained shut on Wednesday to commemorate the killing of nearly 50 civilians and destruction of more than 500 shops by the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel 23 years ago.

Sopore remained shut on Wednesday to commemorate the Sopore killing incident.(HT File Photo)
Sopore remained shut on Wednesday to commemorate the Sopore killing incident.(HT File Photo)

Locals said almost all shops and institutions remained closed, and streets remained deserted. Special prayers were offered in mosques and graveyards.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

According to reports, On January 6, 1993, a BSF jawan was killed by unidentified militants at Sopore’s main market. In retaliation, a group of BSF personnel opened fire indiscriminately.

According to eye-witness accounts recorded at that time, the personnel sprinkled kerosene and gun powder on shops and houses and set them on fire.

“Massacres like the Sopore one continue to haunt Kashmiris because there has been no closure. No one has been punished and the case has been hanging since 23 years. If a young Kashmiri child reads about it today, he will be provoked,” said a Srinagar-based senior journalist Sheikh Mushtaq.

The Valley was hit after the incident, said observerss. The case was handed over to the CBI, who sought a closure on the investigations in December 2013.

In June 2014, the massacre victims filed a protest petition against the closure report filed by the CBI but nothing has come out of it as yet.

“23 years after the Sopore massacre, the legal proceedings stand suspended as there exists no will to provide justice, despite evidences indicting BSF,” said a statement issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS).

Local news agency CNS reported that Syed Salahuddin, chief of the militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, has paid tribute to the victims of Sopore massacre.

The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) called the Sopore incident as the “blackest chapter in Kashmir history that can never be erased in the annals of history.”

“First, Indian troopers kill innocent civilians and then culprits are shielded and given clean chit,” said a statement by the leaders.

Unveiling Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!

Get Current Updates on India News, Election 2024, Arvind Kejriwal News Live, Bihar Board 10th Result 2024 Live along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On