Kupwara Massacre 16 years later

Frontpage

16 yrs ago, troopers shot dead 27 civilians for observing strike on R-day

Locals demand reopening of case, punishment to accused SHAHID RAFIQ Greater KashmirＪａｎｕａｒｙ　２７ Kupwara, Jan 26: Troopers, who gunned down 27 civilians in this frontier district on January 27, 1993 for observing shutdown on R-day, continue to roam freely even after 16 years. The memories of the massacre are still fresh in the minds of people and they are waiting for the day when the perpetrators would be punished. On the fateful day, troops of 15 Punjab and Gharwal regiment opened indiscriminate fire killing 27 civilians in Kupwara market. After the incident, police registered a case and assured the residents that erring troopers would be punished. “There was no headway made after the case was registered. We are waiting for the day when killers would be punished,” said one of the survivors. The Traders Federation, Kupwara, on Monday held a prayer meeting to remember those who fell prey to troopers’ bullets. “We demand that case should be reopened and killers be punished,” traders said. Recalling the incident, the survivors told Greater Kashmir the troops fired upon people only to avenge the strike observed by shopkeepers on January 26. They said that the patrolling party of Punjab regiment had warned the shopkeepers on January 25 of dire consequences if they observed strike and didn’t celebrate the R-day. “As the shopkeepers opened their establishments on January 27, troopers opened fire from all the directions killing 27 people, including traders, policemen and officials. At 11 am the firing stopped. After unleashing death, troopers asked survivors to assemble in the ground and undergo an identification parade,” recalled a survivor. He said that no one was allowed to lift the bodies and take the injured to hospital. “A boy died in front of his father, who begged the troopers of 15 Sikh Li unit to allow him to take his son to the hospital. But troopers didn’t pay any heed towards his pleas.” Another survivor said that two days before the massacre, troopers had entered into a scuffle with policemen after a head constable of Jammu and Kashmir police rescued an old man from their clutches. “After the incident troopers warned the policemen of dire consequences,” the survivor said, adding that strike observed by the people on January 26 added fuel to the fire and troopers went on the killing spree next day. “The main target of Army’s firing squad was bus stand Kupwara and a police post on the old bridge. They mistook a forest guard Ghulam Muhammad Mir wearing Khaki uniform as policeman and shot him dead,” the survivor added.