Sopore massacre

Background

Sopore is a major town in Kashmir within the Baramulla district, located 50 km (31 mi) north-west from Srinagar. On the morning of 6 January 1993, a group of 7–8 armed JKLF militants attacked a platoon of Border Security Force soldiers at Baba Yousuf Lane near Sopore and killed at least one soldier.[1][2]

Response

The Indian government claimed that the high casualties were the result of an intense gun battle between the BSF soldiers and terrorists in which an explosives cache belonging to the militants exploded and spread the fire to nearby buildings.[3] However, the government later initiated a judicial inquiry into the matter and suspended several BSF officers due to the publicity the incident had generated.[1] The day after the massacre, thousands of Kashmiris, defying a government-imposed curfew, protested against the actions of the BSF soldiers on the streets of Sopore.[2] The then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao ordered State Governor Girish Saxena to visit Sopore and announced a compensation of ₹100,000 (US$1,400) for the relatives of the deceased.[3] However, Muslim leaders, left-wing politicians and human rights organizations criticised Saxena for failing to stop human rights violations by the security forces in Kashmir and demanded a parliamentary delegation be sent to assess the destruction.[3]

See also

References
  1. "India – Human Rights Developments". Human Rights Watch.
  2. "Blood Tide Rising". Time. 18 January 1993.
  3. McGirk, Tim (8 January 1993). "Outcry in Delhi over Kashmir massacre". The Independent. UK. Retrieved 10 April 2009.

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