Hawal Massacre
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The 1990 Hawal Massacre was named after the
Hawal Hawal is a notified area of district Srinagar, the summer capital of union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is situated in the heart of the Srinagar just about from Lal Chowk. Known for Hawal is known for Hari Parbat, Islamia Co ...
area of
Srinagar Srinagar (English: , ) is the largest city and the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It lies in the Kashmir Valley on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus, and Dal and Anchar lakes. The city is known for its natu ...
,
Kashmir Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...
, where, on 21 May 1990, the Indian paramilitary troops of the
Central Reserve Police Force The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is a federal police organisation in India under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) of the Government of India. It is one among the Central Armed Police Forces. The CRPF's primary role li ...
opened fire on the peaceful funeral procession which was carrying the body of Mirwaiz Moulana Muhammad Farooq who was assassinated by unidentified gunmen at his Nageen Residence. The funeral procession was taking the body from SKIMS, Soura to Mirwaiz Manzil, Rajouri Kadal.


The Massacre

Mirwaiz Moulana Muhammad Farooq who was the then
Mirwaiz Mirwaiz ( ur, , from ''mir'', chief and ''waiz'', preacher) is a hereditary institution of head priests that is unique to the Kashmir Valley. The traditional role of mirwaizes is to provide religious education in the shrines and mosques. Over time, ...
of Kashmir had been brutally killed by gunmen at his residence and his followers took his body in a funeral procession towards Mirwaiz Manzil when the paramilitary personnel stationed in a camp at Islamia College started indiscriminately firing using their machine guns trained at the peaceful procession. Victims of the attack state how the massacre was completely unprovoked and they were all unarmed yet the forces fired thousands of bullets. Over 60 were killed and 200 were injured in the massacre and this remains to be one of the deadliest massacres in Kashmir.


Aftermath

The then Governor had announced a ‘time-bound’ inquiry into the massacre within a period of two months. However, in reply to an RTI application in 2013, the then divisional commissioner Kashmir had stated that a criminal case vide FIR 35/1990 was registered into the incident at
Nowhatta Nowhatta, () known as Navyut () in Kashmiri language, Kashmiri, is a town of historical importance situated at a distance of 5 km from Lal Chowk, Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir, India. Nowhatta is famous b ...
police station. “However, there is no information with the department as to whether there was any inquiry, judicial or magisterial, ordered by the government,” he had stated. On a petition by a human rights activist, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) in 2014 ordered time bound inquiry into the massacre and sought a report from the government within two months. “Despite various communications addressed to the DGP, divisional commissioner Kashmir and also from secretary of the commission, authorities are unmoved. In view of the insensitive approach of the authorities, the commission is left with no option but to entrust the inquiry to the investigating wing of this commission,” the SHRC had stated. In December 2017, the investigation wing of the SHRC found that the CRPF had identified 15 of its officers and personnel for “indiscriminate firing” that killed “35 civilians at Hawal in 1990. “The SHRC investigation, however, could not ascertain if any action was taken against these CRPF officers and personnel.


See also

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Gawkadal massacre The Gawkadal massacre was named after the Gawkadal bridge in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir (state), Jammu and Kashmir, India, where, on 21 January 1990, the Indian paramilitary troops of the Central Reserve Police Force opened fire on a group of ...
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Zakoora and Tengpora massacre The Zakura And Tengpora Massacre was the killing of protesters calling for the implementation of a United Nations resolution regarding the plebiscite in Kashmir at Zakura Crossing and Tengpora Bypass Road in Srinagar on 1 March 1990, in which ...
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Sopore massacre 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. Background Sopore is a major town in Kashmir with ...
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Handwara massacre The Handwara massacre was a massacre of 21 unarmed protesters by the Border Security Force of India in the town of Handwara, Kashmir on 25 January 1990. Background On 21 January 1990, Central Reserve Police Force opened fire on a group of protes ...
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Bijbehara massacre The Bijbehara Massacre took place when 74th Battalion Border Security Force (BSF) fired upon protesters in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, India on 22 October 1993, killing 51 civilians. In the official version of events, BSF had onl ...
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Human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir Human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir range from mass killings, enforced disappearances, torture, rape and sexual abuse to political repression and suppression of freedom of speech. The Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), ...


References

{{reflist Conflicts in 1990 1990s in Jammu and Kashmir May 1990 events in Asia Political repression in India Massacres in 1990 Military scandals Srinagar 1990 in India Massacres in Jammu and Kashmir Massacres committed by India