March 20-A Black day in the history of India
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in
March 20, is recorded as a black day in the history of India. It was on the same day in 2000 when the “Chittisinghpura massacre” refers to the mass murder of 35 Sikh villagers was carried out in the Chittisinghpura village of Anantnag district, Jammu and Kashmir. It was done on the eve of USA President Bill Clinton’s state visit to India.
As per reports the attackers, 15-20 in number, as per the eye-witnesses’ account, wearing Indian Army fatigues, the killers arrived into the village in military vehicles in two groups at separate ends of the village where the two Gurudwaras- Shaukeen Mohalla Gurdwara and Singh Sabha Sumandri Hall Gurdwara – were located, while the villagers had been celebrating the Hola Mahalla festival. The masked terrorists ordered them to line up in front of the gurdwaras and opened fire at a point blank range, killing thirty-five people. The massacre was a turning point in the Kashmir issue, where Sikhs had usually been spared from militant violence.
As per available information, the Intelligence agencies informed that the attack was carried out by Pakistan sponsored terror outfits, ahead of American President Bill Clinton’s visit, to draw international attention towards the vexed issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
But, as per media reports, five days later, the army and Jammu and Kashmir police had killed the terrorists allegedly involved with the “Chittisinghpura massacre”. There were claims that the government has not done a thorough investigation. The CBI had filed a charge sheet alleging that the persons killed in Pathribal were local Kashmiris and not Pakistani terrorists. Even Justice Pandian, who was asked to probe the incident, said the five persons claimed to be militants by the security agencies were actually innocent residents of Brakpora. Their bodies were burnt and hastily buried in a nearby village. Since the whole episode has come under a cloud the resident always demanded to hold the probe in a transparent manner.
Every year, Sikhs in the Chittisinghpura pay homage to the departed souls on the anniversary of the massacre. They commemorate the fallen ones by observing three days of mourning and memorial events. However, they have not been served with closure as justice still eludes them, 22 years after the tragedy.
March 20,2022
