Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday met a delegation representing the victims of the 2000 Chattisinghpora massacre and assured them of a thorough inquiry into the terrorist attack.
The delegation, from the ‘35 Shaheed Singhs Welfare Organisation,’ Chattisinghpora, was led by its chairman S. Jagjeet Singh and met the LG at Raj Bhavan, an official spokesperson said. The members called for a fresh probe into the killing of 35 Sikhs by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists in Chattisinghpora, Anantnag, on March 20, 2000.
The spokesperson said the delegation also raised several welfare-related demands for the next of kin of the martyrs, including compassionate appointments under SRO-43, extension of benefits similar to those provided to non-migrant Kashmiri Pandits, reservation in admissions to government universities and colleges, and financial assistance for constructing a memorial at Chattisinghpora.
The LG reaffirmed his commitment to delivering justice to families affected by terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. “A thorough inquiry will be conducted, and justice will be ensured,” the spokesperson quoted Sinha as saying. He emphasized that the grievances of the victims’ families would be addressed sensitively and on a priority basis.
Sinha also assured that eligible family members would receive compassionate appointments and financial support for self-employment, the spokesperson added.
The Chattisinghpora massacre occurred on March 20, 2000, when Lashkar-e-Taiba militants killed 35 Sikhs in Anantnag district, a day before then U.S. President Bill Clinton’s first visit to India.
