SRINAGAR; 13, May 2013: The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) Monday granted one more month to its investigation wing to file report on the  Gaw Kadal massacre of 1990 that left at least 50 people dead and scores injured in firing by Indian police and CRPF personnel.

Hearing a petition by Mohammad Ahsan Untoo, chairman of International Forum for Justice/Human Rights Forum, a bench of SHRC comprising Justices Javeed Kawoosa and Rafiq Fida asked Superintendent of Police (SP) of the Investigation Wing of the commission to submit report within one month.

Earlier this year, after ordering the probe, the bench had asked the SP to submit report by 26 February which was later extended by March 18 and then again to May 13 .

Besides asking him to conduct a probe, the SHRC asked the SP to ascertain how many families, who lost their dear ones in the massacre, had received ‘compensation’ from government.

The bench granted time to SP SHRC after he  submitted  that he was awaiting response from SSP Srinagar to his letter, seeking copies of FIR in the case and documents  on whether any prohibitory orders were in force on the date of occurrence, particulars  of duty magistrate.

On January 21, 1990, thousands of people had come out on the streets in Srinagar and held pro-freedom demonstrations. The people were agitated over widespread and warrant-less house-to-house searches conducted a day earlier in Chotta Bazaar locality of the downtown Srinagar where over 400 persons were dragged out of their homes into the biting cold. There were allegations of molestation as well during the search operation that was unprecedented in the history of Kashmir.

When the protesters defied the curfew and tried to march through the old city, the CRPF troopers intercepted them near the Gaw Kadal bridge and fired indiscriminately on them. More than 50 people, according to reports filed by foreign correspondents who visited Srinagar a day after the massacre, were killed in the firing. The Indian officials however confirmed the death  of only 21 people in the massacre.

An FIR (No. 3/90), registered by police had claimed that the ‘‘unruly mob was pelting stones at the Indian forces.” The police report makes no mention of the firing on unarmed protesters. The case was closed and the accused were declared “untraceable.” Nobody had approached courts for justice.

Two days before the massacre, New Delhi-appointed Governor of Kashmir Jagmohan Malhotra, in a televised speech to the people of Kashmir had hinted at pursuing a heavy-handed strategy to crush the nascent insurgency.

“I’ve come as a nurse,” Jagmohan had said, “but if anybody creates a law and order problem, the cards of peace I am carrying with slip away from my hands.”