For Prankote massacre victims, things remain unchanged for 23 years (Details)

Exactly 23-year ago, it was the ill-fated night of April 17, 1998, a group of terrorists, armed with sophisticated rifles and sharp-edged weapons had descended on Prankote and Dhakikote hamlets of Reasi district. They had brutally killed 29 members of seven families.

After this carnage, most of the inhabitants of these two hamlets had left their homes and took shelter at 'safest' Talwara and Pouni areas, near Reasi town, in the same year. "The nightmarish experience of that ominous night still haunts me," says Daleep Singh, who was the luckiest survivor of one of the most barbaric terror attacks in J&K.

"After killing many people, terrorists put our houses on fire," he recalled and demanded justice for the families. While narrating the woes of the victims, he recalled how his elder sister was set on fire by terrorists.

"My sister, who received burn injuries, had managed to escape, but Police found her body in a gorge after two days as she had succumbed to her injuries while climbing on the hill to save herself," said Daleep, who was just seven-year-old at that time.

"We are victims of the official apathy. Instead of solving our problems, authorities always adopt a casual approach towards minimizing our woes," said Jagdev Singh, who is living with his family at Talwara camp.

"During the last 23 years, we have been living in hellish condition because except promises nothing has been done for us," says Singh and regretted that assurances made to them from time to time, remained only on papers.

A Jammu-based group takes up their cause

To highlight the plight of these victims, a Jammu-based social organization -- "Forum for Human Rights and Social Justice" -- launched a social media campaign on the 23rd anniversary of the Prankote massacre.

"Today's campaign is to draw the attention of the people towards victims of that gruesome incident", Deepak Sharma, activist of the Forum told the International Business Times. "Now we have decided to take up this issue at national and international forum to ensure that victims would get justice," he said.

Mass migration after terror attack

After the infamous Prankot massacre in April 1998, mass migration of both majority and minority communities started from different areas of Reasi and Rajouri districts. After leaving their native places, these displaced people took shelter at Talwara and Pouni but till today they are living in the same conditions.

Leaders, time and again, have promised all possible help to affected families, but nothing concrete has been so far done to permanently rehabilitate them.