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{{ | {{Short description|1993 killing of civilians in Kashmir, India}} | ||
{{Use British English|date=January 2012}} | {{Use British English|date=January 2012}} | ||
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} | ||
{{Human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir}} | {{Human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir}} | ||
The '''Sopore massacre''' refers to the | The '''Sopore massacre''' refers to the killing of at least 43 civilians by the [[India]]n [[Border Security Force]] (BSF) who were travelling on a bus from [[Bandipore|Bandipur]] to [[Sopore]] in [[Kashmir]] on 6 January 1993.<ref name="hrw_sopore">{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/reports/1994/WR94/Asia-05.htm|title=India – Human Rights Developments|publisher=[[Human Rights Watch]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Human Rights Crisis in Kashmir |url=https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/INDIA937.PDF&ved=2ahUKEwicpI3E8-D2AhXEW3wKHarPAEA4ChAWegQIFhAB&usg=AOvVaw2AO-sctS4X2VqVr0DOB9EZ |url-status=live |access-date=24 March 2022 |website=Human rights watch}}</ref> | ||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
[[Sopore]] is a major town in [[Kashmir]] within the [[Baramulla district]], located {{convert|50|km|mi|abbr=on}} north-west from [[Srinagar]]. On the morning of 6 January 1993, a group of 7–8 armed [[Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front|JKLF]] militants attacked a platoon of [[Border Security Force]] soldiers at Baba Yousuf Lane near Sopore and killed at least one soldier.<ref name="hrw_sopore"/><ref name="time_sopore">{{cite | [[Sopore]] is a major town in [[Kashmir]] within the [[Baramulla district]], located {{convert|50|km|mi|abbr=on}} north-west from [[Srinagar]]. On the morning of 6 January 1993, a group of 7–8 armed [[Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front|JKLF]] militants attacked a platoon of [[Border Security Force]] soldiers at Baba Yousuf Lane near Sopore and killed at least one soldier.<ref name="hrw_sopore"/><ref name="time_sopore">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,977469,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210092812/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,977469,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 December 2008|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|title=Blood Tide Rising|date=18 January 1993}}</ref> | ||
==Firing== | ==Firing== | ||
In this bloody Wednesday some shopkeepers were not allowed to come out and they were burned alive inside shops.<ref name="independent_sopore">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/outcry-in-delhi-over-kashmir-massacre-1477194.html|title=Outcry in Delhi over Kashmir massacre|last=McGirk|first=Tim|date=8 January 1993|work=The Independent|accessdate=10 April 2009|location=UK}}</ref><ref name="hrw_sopore"/> In all, official [[Government of India|Indian Government]] reports state that 250 shops and 50 homes were burned down although other sources claim as many as 450 buildings were burned down by the border security force.<ref name="independent_sopore"/> ''[[The Independent]]'' reported: | In this bloody Wednesday some shopkeepers were not allowed to come out and they were burned alive inside shops.<ref name="independent_sopore">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/outcry-in-delhi-over-kashmir-massacre-1477194.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/outcry-in-delhi-over-kashmir-massacre-1477194.html |archive-date=24 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Outcry in Delhi over Kashmir massacre|last=McGirk|first=Tim|date=8 January 1993|work=The Independent|accessdate=10 April 2009|location=UK}}</ref><ref name="hrw_sopore"/> In all, official [[Government of India|Indian Government]] reports state that 250 shops and 50 homes were burned down although other sources claim as many as 450 buildings were burned down by the border security force.<ref name="independent_sopore"/> ''[[The Independent]]'' reported: | ||
<blockquote>The Border Security Forces sprayed a public coach with machine-gun fire, killing the driver and more than 15 civilians, said witnesses. Three other cars were also fired on, and then the paramilitary forces set the vehicles ablaze. Next, they began herding the native Kashmiris into shops and houses, said witnesses. Then the security forces shot them, splashed paraffin over the bodies and set the buildings alight.<ref name="independent_sopore"/></blockquote> | <blockquote>The Border Security Forces sprayed a public coach with machine-gun fire, killing the driver and more than 15 civilians, said witnesses. Three other cars were also fired on, and then the paramilitary forces set the vehicles ablaze. Next, they began herding the native Kashmiris into shops and houses, said witnesses. Then the security forces shot them, splashed paraffin over the bodies and set the buildings alight.<ref name="independent_sopore"/></blockquote> | ||
==Response== | ==Response== | ||
The Indian government claimed that the high casualties were the result of an intense gun battle between the BSF soldiers and | The Indian government claimed that the high casualties were the result of an intense gun battle between the BSF soldiers and militants in which an explosives cache belonging to the militants exploded and spread the fire to nearby buildings. However, the government later initiated a judicial inquiry into the matter and suspended several BSF officers due to the publicity the incident had generated.<ref name=hrw_sopore /> The day after the [[massacre]], thousands of Kashmiris, defying a government-imposed curfew, protested against the actions of the BSF soldiers on the streets of Sopore.<ref name="time_sopore"/> The then [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]] [[P. V. Narasimha Rao|Narasimha Rao]] ordered [[List of Governors of Jammu and Kashmir|State Governor]] [[Girish Chandra Saxena|Girish Saxena]] to visit Sopore and announced a compensation of {{INRconvert|100000}} for the relatives of the deceased.<ref name=independent_sopore/> However, Muslim leaders, [[Left-wing politics|left-wing]] politicians and human rights organizations criticized Saxena for failing to stop human rights violations by the security forces in Kashmir and demanded a parliamentary delegation be sent to assess the destruction.<ref name=independent_sopore /> | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
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[[Category:January 1993 crimes]] | [[Category:January 1993 crimes]] | ||
[[Category:January 1993 events in Asia]] | [[Category:January 1993 events in Asia]] | ||
[[Category:Massacres in | [[Category:Massacres in 1993]] | ||
[[Category:1990s in Jammu and Kashmir]] | [[Category:1990s in Jammu and Kashmir]] | ||
[[Category:Massacres in Jammu and Kashmir]] | [[Category:Massacres in Jammu and Kashmir]] | ||
[[Category:Sopore]] | [[Category:Sopore]] | ||
[[Category:Massacres committed by India]] | |||
Latest revision as of 14:36, 1 October 2022
Template:Human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir The Sopore massacre refers to the killing of at least 43 civilians by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) who were travelling on a bus from Bandipur to Sopore in Kashmir on 6 January 1993.[1][2]
Background[edit | edit source]
Sopore is a major town in Kashmir within the Baramulla district, located 50 km (31 mi) north-west from Srinagar. On the morning of 6 January 1993, a group of 7–8 armed JKLF militants attacked a platoon of Border Security Force soldiers at Baba Yousuf Lane near Sopore and killed at least one soldier.[1][3]
Firing[edit | edit source]
In this bloody Wednesday some shopkeepers were not allowed to come out and they were burned alive inside shops.[4][1] In all, official Indian Government reports state that 250 shops and 50 homes were burned down although other sources claim as many as 450 buildings were burned down by the border security force.[4] The Independent reported:
The Border Security Forces sprayed a public coach with machine-gun fire, killing the driver and more than 15 civilians, said witnesses. Three other cars were also fired on, and then the paramilitary forces set the vehicles ablaze. Next, they began herding the native Kashmiris into shops and houses, said witnesses. Then the security forces shot them, splashed paraffin over the bodies and set the buildings alight.[4]
Response[edit | edit source]
The Indian government claimed that the high casualties were the result of an intense gun battle between the BSF soldiers and militants in which an explosives cache belonging to the militants exploded and spread the fire to nearby buildings. However, the government later initiated a judicial inquiry into the matter and suspended several BSF officers due to the publicity the incident had generated.[1] The day after the massacre, thousands of Kashmiris, defying a government-imposed curfew, protested against the actions of the BSF soldiers on the streets of Sopore.[3] The then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao ordered State Governor Girish Saxena to visit Sopore and announced a compensation of ₹100,000 (US$1,400) for the relatives of the deceased.[4] However, Muslim leaders, left-wing politicians and human rights organizations criticized Saxena for failing to stop human rights violations by the security forces in Kashmir and demanded a parliamentary delegation be sent to assess the destruction.[4]
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "India – Human Rights Developments". Human Rights Watch.
- ↑ "The Human Rights Crisis in Kashmir". Human rights watch. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Blood Tide Rising". Time. 18 January 1993. Archived from the original on 10 December 2008.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 McGirk, Tim (8 January 1993). "Outcry in Delhi over Kashmir massacre". The Independent. UK. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2009.