Online Desk: Justice continues to elude the victims of Gaw Kadal massacre victims in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) despite the passage of 35 years. Over 50 people were martyred in Gaw Kadal area of Srinagar on January 21 in 1990 when Indian troops had resorted to indiscriminate firing on peaceful demonstrators who were protesting against the molestation of several women by troops, the previous night.
Indian troops had committed scores of brutal massacres since 1989 in IIOJK, it said, adding that over 96,287 Kashmiris had fallen to the Indian bullets in the past 35 years and that the memories of Gaw Kadal like bloodbaths were still fresh in the minds of Kashmiris.
The report pointed out that the aim of committing massacres was to instill fear among the people of Kashmir, adding that the large-scale killings of the Kashmiris were also meant to change the demography of the territory by turning its Muslim majority status into a minority.
The Gaw Kadal and other massacres are a reminder of the criminal face of the occupation troops, the report deplored and added that the RSS-backed Indian regime had planned to carry out more Gaw Kadal-like carnages in the occupied territory. It lamented that the Hindutva-inspired Modi had broken all records of atrocities in the occupied territory.
However, the report said, wanton killings would not deter the Kashmiris from pursuing their struggle for right to self-determination and they would not rest till achieving freedom from Indian yoke.
The report urged the international rights bodies to probe massacres committed by Indian troops in IIOJK. The world must play its role to punish culprits of Gaw Kadal and other massacres in the territory, adding that the killing fields of Kashmir was a challenge to the so-called civilized world.
Meanwhile, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Jammu and Kashmir (APHC-AJK), including General Secretary Sheikh Abdul Mateen, Imtiyaz Ahmed Shah, Shameem Shawl, Javed Ahmed Butt, Syed Aijaz Rehmani, Syed Gulshan Ahmed and Mushtaq Ahmad Butt, have paid glowing tributes to the martyrs of Gaw Kadal massacre on their 34 martyrdom anniversary.
Meanwhile, on January 21, 1990, Indian forces unleashed a brutal massacre on Gaw Kadal Bridge in Srinagar, killing over 100 unarmed civilians and injuring more than 300 others.
The attack was part of an effort to suppress peaceful protests against the alleged assault of Kashmiri women by Indian soldiers.
Indian troops stormed residential areas, detaining over 300 innocent people. The massacre aimed to instill fear among the Kashmiri population and silence their calls for justice and freedom.
Despite international condemnation, including by Human Rights Watch, the Indian government failed to register an FIR for the incident. Rights organizations continue to pressure authorities for accountability, but no arrests have been made in the 35 years since. A half-hearted inquiry launched under public pressure ended inconclusively in 2014.
According to Al Jazeera, Indian forces have killed over 100,000 Kashmiris in the last 35 years, with the Gaw Kadal Massacre remaining one of the darkest chapters. Survivors and victims’ families are still waiting for justice.
The memories of that fateful day remain fresh for many, highlighting the enduring trauma of Kashmir’s unresolved conflict. The Gaw Kadal Massacre stands as a stark reminder of the atrocities committed and the justice denied to the people of Kashmir.
