SRINAGAR — Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday met more than 80 families of civilians killed by militants over the past three decades in Jammu and Kashmir. The outreach event, held in Pahalgam marks a renewed push by the government to acknowledge long-ignored victims of terrorism and provide them with justice and institutional support.
During the gathering, Sinha paid homage to the deceased civilians and said their suffering had been overlooked for too long. “For years, the pain of these families was ignored, and their stories buried,” he said, calling it a grave injustice that the state now aims to correct.
The LG pointed to what he described as a shift in narrative, contrasting the past era—when militant funerals were publicly allowed—with the silence around civilian deaths. He said the administration is now working to “bring the truth to light” and break the silence around those killed by what the government terms cross-border terrorism.
Sinha said district officials would be instructed to file First Information Reports (FIRs) in cases where they were never registered. He also promised action to reclaim properties of the victims’ families allegedly encroached upon by separatist elements or militant sympathisers.
In terms of rehabilitation, the LG said families entitled to government jobs should submit their claims to district administrations, promising that the appointment process would be completed within a month. Those interested in starting businesses would be provided financial aid and administrative assistance.
He added that this initiative is part of the Centre’s broader goal to dismantle the “terror ecosystem” that, according to the government, glorified militancy while silencing the voices of actual victims.
Several family members who attended the event said they had waited decades to share their stories. They accused separatist networks of hijacking the public narrative and erasing their suffering from the mainstream discourse.
Sinha also made broader political remarks, drawing a sharp contrast between India’s economic growth and what he described as Pakistan’s instability. He criticised Pakistan for continuing to recruit Kashmiri youth into militant ranks and warned of strong retaliation against any future cross-border aggression.
The meeting comes in the backdrop of heightened security concerns following the April attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, including 25 tourists. Officials say the latest outreach aims to provide not just reassurance, but overdue recognition to families who have long lived in silence.
