Srinagar 20 March(KNB): All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) has expressed dismay over the delay in justice to the families of 35 Sikh families who were killed at Chattisinghpora in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district on March 20, 2000.
In a statement issued to news agency Kashmir News Bureau-KNB, APSCC Chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina said that although 25 years have passed no headway whatsoever has been made in the case. He said the delay in justice has led to disillusionment among the members of Sikh community.
“Total 50 people were killed in Chattisinghpora episode. It is important that justice is not delivered to the victim families. At the same time investigations need to be carried out in the sequence of events that unfolded later on as 15 more persons belonging to majority community were also killed in the aftermath of the Chattisinghpora massacre,” APSCC Chairman.Raina said that since the locals countered the claims of government that it has killed five militants involved in the killing of 35 Sikhs it is imperative that the whole incident is probed in a professional manner so that culprits are brought to book and justice is delivered to the affected families.
He also expressed his sympathies to the families of persons who were killed in firing at Brakpora who were protesting against the fake encounter. He said that government should take up the probe in a forceful manner so that the real picture comes to the fore and people heave a sigh of relief.
It would be in place to mention here that in 2000, unidentified gunmen entered Chattisinghpora village and massacred 35 men belonging to the minority Sikh community. The murder of Sikhs shocked the entire Kashmir region.
“The police have so far failed to produce any hard evidence that the persons killed in the fake encounter were involved in the killing of Sikhs at Chattisinghpora. The committee formed by the government to find out the culprits, has failed to solve the mystery. We urge both the state and central government to go for fresh probe in the killings of Sikhs and make the things clear. Pandian Commission should be allowed to further investigate the incident as Brakpora and Chattisinghpora cases are interlinked,” said Raina.
The APSCC Chairman said that the massacre was condemned by then President of USA, Bill Clinton. He urged the Government of India to nab the culprits, which he later on also mentioned in his book and termed the incident as most unfortunate incident of his life.(KNB)