Omar defends govt in Wandhama killings case

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday ridiculed allegations against his government for inaction against the architects of 1998 Wandhama massacre in which 23 Kashmiri Pandits were killed by militants.

 “A lot of chatter about alleged inaction following the Wandahama massacre of Kashmiri Pandits. Facts are very different and counter allegation. Stay with me
while I put the facts here-night of 25th Jan '1998, 23 Pandits killed by militants in #Wandahama. Harkat ul Ansar suspected,” Omar wrote on Twitter.

He said within a month on February 17, 1998, six foreign militants responsible for the massacre were killed and another injured in security forces’ operation.

“17th Feb 98 security forces launch ops in #Wandhama area & 6 foreign (probably Pakistani) militants killed & 1 injured. All HUA cadres injured HUA militant admits to being part of #Wandhama massacre & names other dead ones as accomplices with name of ISI commander also,” the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister said the case was closed after that. “As a result the case was closed. To suggest no action followed #Wandhama massacre or Govt slept/ignored is NOT supported by facts,” he said.

A Kashmir Pandit organisation had on Friday took a jibe at the state government for its inaction against the perpetrators of Wandhama massacre asking the chief minister to come up with a statement on the issue.

“Sixteen years have passed when this massacre was carried out but nothing has been done by any camp present in the Kashmir Valley, whether mainstream or separatist, to book the culprits. All the cases pertaining to the Kashmiri Pandits killing have been closed for different reasons which shows that racist elements are present in administration,” Kashmiri Pandit Sangharash Samiti had said on Friday.