In a landmark move aimed at delivering long-overdue justice to families of the victims of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday directed officials to recover their land and property illegally grabbed by terrorists or their sympathisers.
The Manoj Sinha also told the officals to take decisive action against those complicit in civilian killings and are still employed in government service.
Chairing a high-level meeting in Srinagar, he directed the deputy commissioners (DCs) and senior superintendents of police (SSPs) to reopen the cases that were deliberately suppressed in the past. He told them to file FIRs in such cases and ensure that the next of kin (NoKs) of terror victims are provided government jobs on priority. “Identify the elements from the terror ecosystem involved in the killing of common Kashmiris who are now working in government departments. No one involved in such heinous crimes should go unpunished,” the LG said during the meeting.
To ensure institutional support for the affected families, the Lieutenant Governor announced the creation of a dedicated special cell in the LG Secretariat to address their concerns. A similar cell will be established in the Chief Secretary’s Office. Additionally, a toll-free helpline number will be launched to facilitate communication and grievance redressal for terror victim families.
He also directed the officials to extend financial support to victim families under the MUDRA scheme and provide handholding assistance to those wishing to start self-employment ventures. “Every possible assistance will be provided to the families of terror victims. Those who have roamed free for decades despite their crimes will be brought to justice,” LG Sinha affirmed.
The meeting marked a significant shift in the administration’s approach towards addressing the grievances of families who have long suffered in silence following attacks by Pakistan-backed terrorists.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo; Additional Chief Secretary, Shaleen Kabra; DGP Nalin Prabhat; Special Director General (Coordination), PHQ, SJM Gillani; Principal Secretary Home Chandraker Bharti; Principal Secretary to Lieutenant Governor Dr Mandeep K. Bhandari; IGP Kashmir, VK Birdi; IGP Jammu BhimSen Tuti; Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Vijay Bidhuri; Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Ramesh Kumar; MD & CEO J&K Bank, Amitava Chatterjee and other senior officers.