Srinagar, July 24: Sobs and cries broke the silence when terror victims narrated their ordeal to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
Horrific tales of cold-blooded murders, torture, and systematic apathy made every eye moist.
“I had only one son. He was killed by terrorists. No help from the government since,” choked a grieving mother from North Kashmir while narrating her pain before LG Manoj Sinha.
Another victim could not hold her tears as she recalled the gruesome tale of horror. A widow, whose son was brutally killed, was left to raise two grandchildren in extreme poverty.
Fayaz Ahmad Sheikh from Sheeri, Baramulla, whose father was killed by terrorists, said no one can imagine their pain. He slammed past J&K regimes for mocking victims with false promises and endless verifications. He urged LG Sinha to make reservations to help survivors.
Suhail Yusuf Shah of Kupwara broke down when he narrated how his mother was killed by terrorists. “No government ever cared to ask about their pain. For decades, J&K’s ruling political class played into ISI’s hands, empowered terrorists and left victims to rot,” he said.
Waking up to the ordeal, the Lieutenant Governor has launched a dedicated web portal for terror victim families in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Web portal, developed by the Home Department in collaboration with NIC, will serve as a centralized platform to capture and maintain comprehensive district-wise data on Terrorism-affected families. The details of any encroachments on the property of the victims or their NOKs are also being captured.
It will ensure that no legitimate case is left unaddressed and timely support is extended to eligible families in terms of financial relief, ex gratia compensation, and compassionate employment while ensuring the elimination of any bogus or multiple claims.
The Lieutenant Governor is personally monitoring and overseeing the redressal of all cases across the UT of J&K.
A toll-free helpline number has also been established at the offices of the Divisional Commissioners in both Jammu (0191-2478995) and Kashmir (0194-2487777) divisions, to facilitate the registration of any overlooked or pending claims.
“The initiative will streamline and expedite the process of providing relief, compassionate appointments, and other forms of assistance to those who have suffered from terrorism in the UT,” the Lieutenant Governor said.