Editing 1998 Prankote massacre

{{More citations needed|date=December 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Violence against Hindus in independent India}}
The '''1998 Prankote massacre''' was the beheading of 26 [[Hindu]]s in the villages of Prankote and Dakikote in the [[Udhampur district]] (now in [[Reasi district]]) of the erstwhile [[Indian state]] of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] on 17 April, 1998.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Rediff On The NeT: 26 Hindu villagers butchered in Jammu |url=https://www.rediff.com/news/1998/apr/20jammu.htm |access-date=2022-03-18}}</ref>

==Aftermath==
It took 10 hours for news to reach the authorities and security forces reached only after a day.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=20 June – 3 July 1998|title=A new front in the proxy war|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1513/15130180.htm|url-status=usurped|magazine=[[Frontline (magazine)|Frontline]]|volume=15|issue=13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020404203711/http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1513/15130180.htm|archive-date=4 April 2002|accessdate=27 May 2018}}</ref><ref>[http://www.india-today.com/itoday/04051998/jammu.html Hired Gun] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122075100/http://www.india-today.com/itoday/04051998/jammu.html |date=22 November 2008 }}, ''[[India Today]]'', 4 May 1998</ref> Then Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister [[Farooq Abdullah]] said "This a shocking incident. I have seen tragedies earlier, but this was bloodcurdling. No bullets were fired, the villagers were butchered."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jammu-kashmir.com/archives/archives1998/98april21a.html|title=Kashmir Terrorists Behead 26 Hindus in Prankote|website=www.jammu-kashmir.com|access-date=2018-05-27}}</ref>

The massacre led forced migration of nearly 1,000 people to Reasi, Pouni Thanpal, Chasana and other towns of the district.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/1998/aug/06kash.htm|title=Jammu averages 50 killings a month|website=www.rediff.com|access-date=2018-05-27}}</ref>

In April 2008, the mastermind of this attack - Abdul Haque alias Jahangir, an Islamic terrorist belonging to [[Hizbul Mujahideen]], was killed in an encounter with Indian security forces.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080424/main2.htm|title=The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News|website=www.tribuneindia.com|access-date=2018-05-27}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{coord missing|Jammu and Kashmir}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prankote Massacre}}
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in India in 1998]]
[[Category:Massacres in 1998]]
[[Category:Islamic terrorism in India]]
[[Category:Massacres in India]]
[[Category:Udhampur district]]
[[Category:Persecution of Hindus]]
[[Category:Persecution by Muslims]]
[[Category:1990s in Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Religiously motivated violence in India]]
[[Category:Massacres in Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:April 1998 events in Asia]]
[[Category:Islamic terrorist incidents in 1998]]
[[Category:Massacres of Hindus in Kashmir]]