Srinagar: Paying rich tributes to the 57 civilians who were brutally murdered on this fateful day by the Indian forces at Sopore in Baramulla district 25 years ago, Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that even after two-and a half-decades, the tragic heart wrenching images of that day continue to haunt us while justice eludes the families of those killed in the barbaric incident as the perpetrators of the crime roam free.
Mirwaiz said forces had created mayhem by torching around 120 residential houses and 400 shops and other commercial establishments on that day.
In a statement, Mirwaiz who continues to be under illegal house arrest, said that while Government of India rightly asks Britain to apologise for the gruesome killing of Indians at Jalian Wala Bagh, New Delhi should also apologize for all the massacres committed by its forces in Kashmir in which thousands of innocent lives have been lost since the past three-decades and those forces personnel involved in the massacre of civilians and damaging property worth billions should be brought to book and punished accordingly.
Meanwhile, Hurriyat (M) spokesman strongly criticized the government for imposing curbs in Sopore to foil the congregational condolence gathering announced by the Joint Resistance Leadership for offering fateha prayers to all the martyrs of January 6, 1993 of Sopore massacre and detaining dozens of resistance activists including APHC leader Ghulam Nabi Zaki which deserves highest form of condemnation.
Hurriyat (M) chairman also expressed his grief and heartfelt condolence over the death of many people and children due to an avalanche at Kupwara district. Mirwaiz expressed sympathy and extended solidarity with the families of those who died in the incident. Mirwaiz also expressed grief over the death of six people killed in the road accident at Ram Nagar Jammu.
(With inputs from KNS)
