J&K LG Establishes Special Cell for Terror-Affected Families

Srinagar, July 1 (PTI) - The Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor's secretariat is set to establish a special cell and a toll-free number to address the concerns of families affected by terrorism and to ensure the perpetrators face justice.

In a high-level meeting chaired on Tuesday, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha directed deputy commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) to reopen cases related to terrorism that were "deliberately" neglected. This development comes shortly after Sinha met with the families of Kashmiri civilians who had been victims of terrorist acts, expressing that justice had been denied to them for decades before 2019.

"A special cell will be set up in the LG Secretariat to address the concerns of these families, and a similar cell will be established in the office of the Chief Secretary. Every possible assistance will be extended to the families of terror victims, and efforts will be made to bring to justice those perpetrators who have been roaming free for many decades," Sinha announced on his official X handle.

Sinha emphasized the need for a toll-free number to be introduced for the support of affected families. The high-level meeting convened to discuss the dire issues facing families whose loved ones were tragically killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists.

"I have directed DCs and SSPs to reopen cases that were purposely buried, file FIRs, and ensure employment is prioritized for the next of kin (NoKs)," Sinha stated.

The directive also mandates deputy commissioners and SSPs to release properties and land that have been seized by terrorists or their sympathizers, thereby returning them to the families of terror victims.

"I have instructed officers to identify individuals within the terror ecosystem who participated in the murder of common Kashmiris and are now employed in government departments," Sinha added.

On Sunday, Sinha had met some of the victim families and reassured them that justice will be served in their cases.

"Today, I met family members of Kashmiri civilians who were brutally killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists. For decades, their voices were marginalized, and they were denied justice. Their suffering was ignored, their stories untold, and the truth intentionally suppressed," Sinha remarked on Sunday.

He pointed out that hundreds of families are now gaining the courage and support to speak out about how their loved ones were murdered by Pakistani terrorists.

"It's appalling to know that before 2019, funeral processions for terrorists were permitted while the thousands of common Kashmiris killed by terrorists were left forgotten and unrecognized," he noted.

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