| Pazipora massacre | |
|---|---|
| Location | Pazipora, Kupwara district, Jammu and Kashmir, India |
| Date | August 8, 1990 |
| Target | Civilians |
Attack type | Massacre |
| Deaths | 26 killed |
| Injured | 60+ wounded |
| Perpetrator | Indian Army |
The Pazipora massacre refers to the massacre of at least 26 Kashmiri civilians by the Indian Army on 8 August 1990 in Pazipora, Kupwara district, Jammu and Kashmir. Over sixty people were wounded, three women were raped and around ten houses were set on fire. [1] [2] [3]
The Pazipora massacre took place in the early phase of the Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir, which began in 1989 after widespread political unrest, electoral malpractice allegations, and rising support for separatist groups. By mid-1990, the region was under the direct control of the Indian Army and paramilitary forces, empowered through the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). [1] [4]
On the morning of August 8, 1990, villagers were working in paddy fields when an army convoy arrived in Pazipora around 11 am. Local people reported a group of soldiers (with weapons, military equipment, helmets and camouflage) exited the convoy, arrived in the area, and then opened fire "indiscriminately". As civilians were hiding in the tall grass, they were shot as they attempted to flee. The end of violence left 26 dead, over 60 wounded, three women allegedly raped, and ten homes burned. One survivor, Ghulam Nabi Tantray who would become Sarpanch of the village, described being shot in both thighs and being put on and dragged into a military truck. He remembered the scenes of villagers "crying in pain and screaming for help," many of whom died from their injuries waiting for medical assistance. [1] [5] [6]
Despite the severity of the killings, survivors reported that no official investigation or prosecution followed. The massacre has remained largely absent from official records but continues to persist in local memory as part of Kashmir’s oral history. It is remembered as one of the early mass killings of civilians during the insurgency. [1]
The massacre was raised in the Lok Sabha by Prof. Saifuddin Soz and other members, who called for investigations into atrocities in Kashmir during 1990. [7] [8]
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