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| Four years on, widow of Kulhand massacre victim awaits justice | | | ET Report
JAMMU, Feb 16: Four years after her husband succumbed to grievous bullet injuries that he received in infamous Kulhand massacre in Doda, Bal Krishan's widow Sheila Devi is still waiting the compensation even as the family has exhausted even the last penny is battling to keep alive.
Sheila Devi lost her husband in 2007, an year after receiving 16 bullets in his leg during Kulhand massacre on the intervening night of April 30-May 1, 2006 in Kulhand village, 30 kms from district headquarters Doda, in which unidentified militants killed 22 people of minority community and left 14 others injured.
Militants had almost killed Bal Krishan during that massacre but nature had planned more miseries for his family. Krishan survived in the incident but was critically injured with 16 bullets in his leg. He was shifted to Government Medical College (GMC) hospital Jammu for specialized treatment. In May 2007, after one year of agony and pain, Bal Krishan succumbed to his injuries leaving behind the pain and miseries for the family who had spent every penny for his treatment.
Sheila Devi sold last piece of her jewelry to meet the expenses of her husband's treatment, who was the lone bread earner of the family. The compensation of Rs one lakh given by the Government after massacre was also spent on Bal Krishan's treatment.
To condemn the incident and show solidarity with the victim families, the then J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and scores of other political leaders including senior BJP leader LK Advani visited the area. At that time Government assured full support to the victim families but after more than five years of the incident Sheila Devi is still waiting for the justice.
Families of those who were killed on the spot were provided the benefit of SRO-43 in which one person of the family was accommodated in the Government services but Sheila Devi is yet to get the benefit of SRO-43.
"We have nothing with us, even to earn two meals a day. I lost everything, including a piece of land, gold ornaments, cows, buffaloes and most importantly my husband," Sheila Devi, widow of Bal Krishan said.
Situated on a hilltop, Sheila Devi's two-room house is made up of mud with few utensils and limited bedding inside. Not even a single chair is available in her house where one can sit.
"Every leader visited the village at the time of massacre but when I lost my husband who was also the victim of terrorism, no one came to see my family's condition and sufferings. I have been denied all the basic facilities which families of other victims got," Devi said.
"My husband left us alone in this brutal world where one has to go along with his suffering alone. I have to take care of my family comprising of my son and daughter-in-law and two grand daughters alone and at times it becomes difficult to earn two-time meals," Devi added, with grim look on her face. Now, with tears and harsh memories, Sheila Devi is moving along with a hope that she will get justice some day. |
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