Terror victim families find recognition and a voice
Srinagar, Dec 13: It wasn’t a usual government function. At Srinagar’s Lok Bhavan Auditorium on Saturday, silence often spoke louder than words.
Eyes filled with tears and hands trembled as they recalled memories of lost fathers, husbands and brothers. Victims of terror whose families had waited years, even decades, to be heard.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, handing over appointment letters to the next of kin of terror victims, called it a “tribute to their sacrifice”. At Lok Bawan, families took turns to speak; the hall turned into a space of collective grief and long-delayed dignity.
Among the packed hall was Amir Nazir Lala, who lost his father when he was just four years old. “I was just four years old when my father was killed in the main market,” he said.
“My mother struggled beyond limits… for 25 long years, we received no justice, no help. Today, LG Sahab has given us dignity and our rightful place. For the first time, it feels like someone truly listened to our pain,” he said.
For another lady, Shaista Akhtar from Srinagar, whose father was killed 20 years ago, the appointment letter was more than employment as it was an acknowledgement.
“No one ever helped us. Our file just kept moving from one office to another. But LG Sahab felt our pain; he understood what we went through. May Allah keep you blessed, you have become a healer of hearts,” she said, tears streaming down her face.
Among many more stories of pain was Mohammad Ashraf Lone, from south Kashmir’s Anantnag, who spoke of his brother’s killing in 1999.
“From then until 2025, no one ever understood our pain. No one asked about us, and we were never treated with dignity. Today, LG Sahab has restored that dignity. For the first time, we feel that we, too, belong to this country,” he said, his voice breaking midway.
Masrat Nelofar, another lady from Baramulla, who lost her husband in a terror attack while he was running a rehabilitation centre, said she spent years knocking on doors for help.
“We went from one office to another, but no one was there to listen. Our files just kept moving from one table to the next. When we met LG Sahab, he said, ‘Don’t worry, we will take action.’ Today, that promise has been fulfilled,” she said, clutching her appointment letter tightly.
Meanwhile, inside the hall, sobs broke out quietly. Mothers wept; some fathers held their children close, others stared blankly among the audience rows. A few young men tried to hide their tears, but the pain was too raw to contain—(KNO)
