January 6 : In occupied Kashmir, massacre in Sopore town 18 years back, when the apple town witnessed the worst incident of arson at the hands of troopers of Border Security Forces leading to death of 57 people, a dozen of them roasted alive, besides reducing 350 shops and residential houses to rubble and ashes on 6 January, 1993.
The ‘Time’ magazine had titled the news report (on January 18, 1993) “Blood tide rising: Indian forces carry out one of the worst massacres in Kashmir’s history.” The publication described the massacre, and the protests that ensued thus: “Perhaps there is a special corner in hell reserved for troopers who fire their weapons indiscriminately into a crowd of unarmed civilians. That, at least, must have been the hope
of every resident who defied an army-enforced curfew in the Kashmiri town of Sopore to protest a massacre that left 55 people dead and scores injured.”
The memories of the bloodiest of the massacres carried against the civilian population in Valley remains fresh in hearts and minds of the people particularly denizens of the apple town even after eighteen years.
It was the chilly morning of January 6, 1993 when mujahideen attacked the BSF men at Baba Younis Lane near the Sopore town’s main street, killing two of them. The mujahideen also took away the rifles of the slain BSF men. The personnel after the shootout went berserk and opened indiscriminate fire on unarmed civilians and set on fire markets and Women’s Degree College near chowk of the town.
The local residents regard the incident as one of the worst massacres in the history of Kashmir. Abdul Rashid, an eyewitness while recalling the massacre said it was around 1030 hours on the fateful day when BSF personnel fired indiscriminately and carried out arson in the apple town.
“I still remember that BSF personnel intercepted a bus from Bandipore near Sopore and set it ablaze.” Fifteen persons were charred alive. “I along with nine other persons had taken refuge in a shop and there was destruction across Sopore. I still remember that corpses were scattered and police was watching helplessly,” he said.
Some 15 civilians who tried to rescue their brethren were also shot dead by the BSF personnel, said Abdul Majid, a survivor. Ghulam Nabi Butt of New Light Hotel shouldered 11 dead bodies and before he could carry the 12th, he too was shot dead. “I cannot forget that horrendous incident till I am alive; the troops were on rampage; I lost two relatives in the incident,” said an eyewitness and survivor of the carnage. “I wonder how can doomsday be worse,” said a resident.
As per the locals, BSF personnel sprinkled petrol and gun powder on all structure to set about 350 shops on fire,” said an eywitness, Ghulam Nabi. Recalling the horror at the hospital, an employee at local hospital said, “We could not rush outside as BSF personnel killed several persons who rushed the injured for treatment.”
“The massacre would haunt us as long as we are alive,” said Muhammad Abbas of Sopore.
The locals said that people searched the debris for bodies for next three days. The incident sends shock waves across the Kashmir valley and people protested for many days continuously. The martyred were later identified as Mohammad Maqbool Dar son of Karim Dar, Abdul Ahad Laloo son-in-law Razaq, Abdul Ahad Kanjwaal (85) of Muslim Peer Sopore, Zahoor Khan son of Shafi Khan, Bashir Ahmad son of Ghulam Mohammad Shalaa, Ghulam Rasool son of Mohammad Shaban, Ashraf son of Mohammad Maqbool Shalla, Sajad son of Razaq Shalla of Shalpora, Ismayeel son of Ghulam Ahmed Butt of Marajpora, Ghulam Mohammad son of Khaliq Wani of Iqbal Nagar, Sideeq Rahee, Ghulam Nabi Zargar Son of Qadir of Badami Bagh, Ghulam Nabi Butt New Light Colony, Farooq Banday son Rashid Banday, Javid Sheikh, Ghulam Nabi Butt son of Abdullah Butt of Sangrampora, Altaf son of Ghulam Rasool Ganie of, Ashraf son of Ghulam Hassan Kangoo, Ashraf Kernaie son Hassan Kernaie Khan Kahie Mohalla, Ghulam Rasool Sofi of Rafiabad, Majeed son of Ghulam Mohammad Gadoo of Baba Raza, Majeed son of Shafi Sofi, Haji Gh Mohammad Sheikh of Krankshun colony, Ashraf Wani of Handwara, Mohammad Hussain Wani of Baramulla, Bashair Wani of Wanigam Pattan, Mushtaq Ahmad Balla Son of Khazir Balla of Seer, Mohammad Ashraf Mir of Ashpeer, Rashid son of Jabbar Sofi Bandipore, Rashid son of Ghulam Mohammad War Tujar Sharief, Khaliq son of Ghulam Mohidin Malik of Arampora, Razak Chalkoo son Ghulam Mohammad of Baramulla, Ghulam Mohammad son of Sultan War of Tujar Sharief, Gulzar Sheikh son of Abdullah Sheikh of Shahabad, Ghulam Mohidin son of Asadullah Mir Bandipora, Ghulam Rasool son of Sultan Sofi of Langate, Ghulam Mohammad Khan of Bandipora, Bita Mir son of Gh Mohdin of Tawheed Gung Baramulla, Bita Ganie son of Wali Mohd of Syed Kareem Baramulla, Misra wife of Asadullah Lone of Hatlongoo and Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh of Krankshun colony
Earlier Published On Aalaw
