Despite passing of 29 years, justice continues to elude victim families of Gaw Kadal massacre as no action has been taken against the accused government forces.
On 21 January 1990, news of alleged molestation by forces during nocturnal crackdown at Chota Bazar locality in Downtown enraged people, who hit roads to lodge their protest against it.
Witnesses recall widespread demonstration against alleged forces highhandedness was held at city center Lal Chowk. The protests were joined by hordes of people from surrounding areas including Magarmal Bagh, Padshahi Bagh, Kursoo-Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar and Mehjoor Nagar. Soon, the witnesses said the demonstration turned massive and protestors decided to move towards Downtown through Gaw Kadal bridge.
“When the procession reached near Gaw Kadal bridge, a posse of forces personnel already deployed their resorted to indiscriminate firing leaving scores dead and many injured. Rights groups maintain over 50 people were killed, while over 200 were injured,” they said.
However, official report maintains that 22 civilians were killed, while 50 were injured. The incident occurred during the time when Jammu and Kashmir was under Governor rule. An FIR (3/1990) was registered at police station Kral Khud Srinagar on 21 January, 1990.
In 2012, a complaint was filed by rights activist Ahsan Untoo before state human rights commission (SHRC) for enquiry into the incident. The enquiry team stated before SHRC that there have been “serious shortcomings in the investigation” of the case.
“It is particularly shocking that a matter as serious as this could not attract the attention of senior police officers to take the matter to its logical/genuine conclusion respecting the spirit of law and upholding the dignity of human life,” it stated.
Human rights activist Ahsan Untoo who has been pursuing the case in SHRC said reply provided to him in October last year by the police about the incident mentioned 22 people were killed, while only 12 got injured.
“This is far from reality. There are scores of witnesses which establishes beyond doubt that 53 unarmed protestors were killed and some 250 got injured,” he said in a statement.
Terming it as “mockery”, Untoo said the administration should come up with detailed report of the incident.
“It is the biggest irony when government says only 22 were killed of which only six were identified, while rest remain unidentified,” Untoo added.
“This massacre shook conscience of people. It was a turning point. People thought it is irreversible. It had huge imprint on people’s minds especially younger generation of that time. Their political conscious about Kashmir started from this incident,” said rights defender and coordinator of Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), Khurram Parveez, whose grandfather was among slain in Gaw Kadal massacre.
“It is irony that no forces personnel involved in killing innocent civilians in the incident was prosecuted,” he added.
To mention, Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) has called for complete shutdown in civil lines to mark the massacre anniversary.