Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 16: Even after passing 23 long years, justice still eludes victims of infamous Prankote carnage in which 29 members of minority community were brutally butchered by the terrorists on the fateful day of April 17 in the year 1998. It was on the intervening night of April 20 and 21 in 1998 that a group of 14 militants including nine foreigners of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and five locals had descended on village Prankote in Mahore tehsil of then Udhampur district, now part of Reasi district, and set the house of innocent civilians on fire by sprinkling kerosene oil.
Since 1998 victims of the gruesome carnage are living in Talwara migrant camp on the bank of the river Chenab in Reasi district but they are victims of the apathetic attitude of authorities. “Except promises nothing has been done for us”, one of the migrants, living at Talwara, told The Early Times. He regretted that except lip services politicians have also abandoned them.
During every election politicians promised to solve their problems but after completion of the electoral process, elected representatives did not spare even some hours to visit the camp to inquire about miserable conditions.
After the infamous Prankote massacre mass migration of minorities was started from different areas of Reasi and Rajouri districts. After leaving their native places, these displaced people took shelter at Talwara but till date they are living in the same conditions. |
