By: Ajaz Ahmad War Srinagar
Srinagar, January 21 : Gawkadal Massacre is one of the brutal massacres in the history of Kashmir. 31 years ago it shocked the entire region and humanity gauging by scale of tyranny unleashed by the state against peaceful protesters .
One cannot miss the basic facts that the Gawkadal massacre was named after the Gawkadal bridge in Srinagar, Kashmir, where, on 21 January 1990, the Indian paramilitary troops of the Central Reserve Police Force opened fire on a group of Kashmiri protesters in what has been described by some authors as "the worst massacre in Kashmiri history".At least 50 people were killed (according to survivors, the actual death toll may have been as high as 280 .
Pertinent to mention, the massacre happened two days after the Government of India appointed Jagmohan as the Governor for a second time in a bid to control the mass protests by Kashmiris.It happened during the mass leaving of Kashmiri Pandit community .
Diverse global reputed human rights groups and personalities commented on the horrors of Gawkadal Massacre .
As a Human Rights Watch stated in a report from May, 1991, "In the weeks that followed [the Gawakadal massacre] as security forces fired on crowds of marchers and as militants intensified their attacks against the police and those suspected of aiding them, Kashmir’s civil war began in earnest."
On the other hand current political stalwart, MJ Akbar and at that juncture editor of Asian Age newspaper, said of the massacre, "January 19 became the catalyst which propelled into a mass upsurge. Young men from hundreds of homes crossed over into Pakistan administered Kashmir to receive arms and training in insurrection Pakistan came out in open support of secession.
Today as Kashmir mark 31st Anniversary of Gawkadal Massacre the pile of dead bodies of conflict in Kashmir has grown , and Kashmir become second name of tragedy . With resolution still evading miles the day reminds us of unfulfilled justice to victims .
Meanwhile today , strict Shutdown was observed in Gawkadal, Adjacent Areas especially nerve center Lalchowk to Remember January 21 Massacre victims .
“Worst massacre in Kashmir’s history”: What happened on Gaw Kadal on this day in 1990. (The writer is from Srinagar IIOJK)