Fresh probe ordered into 2000 Chittisinghpora massacre in Kashmir

SRINAGAR: J&K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha announced Saturday a fresh investigation into the 2000 Chittisinghpora massacre , when Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 35 Sikhs in Anantnag district during US president Bill Clinton’s India visit.

Sinha made the announcement after meeting a delegation from Shaheed Singhs Welfare Organisation led by chairman S Jagjeet Singh, which demanded an inquiry and relief measures for victims’ families. The group sought compassionate appointments under SRO-43, welfare benefits on a par with non-migrant Kashmiri Pandits, reservation in govt colleges and universities, and financial support to build a memorial at Chittisinghpora.

A govt spokesperson said Sinha assured the families that “a thorough inquiry will be conducted and justice will be served”. He also promised compassionate jobs for eligible kin and financial aid for self-employment. “The issues and grievances of families of the civilians martyred in the massacre will be addressed with utmost sensitivity and on priority,” the spokesman quoted Sinha as saying.

SRO-43 refers to compassionate appointment rules, a scheme that provides employment opportunities to dependent family members of a govt worker who dies in harness or due to militancy-related action. SRO-43 has been replaced by J&K rehabilitation assistance scheme (RAS) in 2022, which introduced a merit-based screening system for compassionate appointments.