1998 Prankote massacre
Encyclopedia
The 1998 Prankote massacre was the killing of 26 Hindu
s in the villages of Prankote and Dakikote in Udhampur
district of Jammu and Kashmir
on 17 April 1998.
.
Survivors said that the killers struck when the villagers refused demands from the gunmen to convert to Islam
and prove their conversion by eating beef. Seven members were charred beyond recognition when their house was set on fire.
said "This a shocking incident. I have seen tragedies earlier, but this was bloodcurdling. No bullets were fired, the villagers were butchered."
The massacre forced migration of nearly 1,000 people to Reasi, Pouni Thanpal, Chasana and other towns of the district.
In April 2008 alleged mastermind Abdul Haque alias Jahangir, a militant belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen
was shot dead by Indian security forces.
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s in the villages of Prankote and Dakikote in Udhampur
Udhampur
Udhampur is a city and a municipal council in Udhampur District in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is the second lardest city of Duggardesh region and the fourth largest city in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It serves as the district capital and the Northern Command headquarter of the...
district of Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
on 17 April 1998.
Background
In 1990 the bulk of 250,000 Kashmiri Pandits left kashmir after being selectively targeted by the militants. Most are packed in refugee camps in JammuJammu
Jammu , also known as Duggar, is one of the three administrative divisions within Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state in India.Jammu city is the largest city in Jammu and the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir...
.
The Attack
A group of militants had forced their way into four homes and slaughtered the inhabitants in cold blood in the intervening night of April 17 and 18. Seven members of a family were charred beyond recognition.Survivors said that the killers struck when the villagers refused demands from the gunmen to convert to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and prove their conversion by eating beef. Seven members were charred beyond recognition when their house was set on fire.
The aftermath
It took 10 hours for news to reach the authorities and security forces reached only after a day. Then Kashmir chief minister Farooq AbdullahFarooq Abdullah
Farooq Abdullah , born 21 October 1937 in Soura, Jammu & Kashmir, India), is the son of Sheikh Abdullah, is a doctor of medicine and has served as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir on several occasions since 1982. He is married to Molly, a nurse of British origin...
said "This a shocking incident. I have seen tragedies earlier, but this was bloodcurdling. No bullets were fired, the villagers were butchered."
The massacre forced migration of nearly 1,000 people to Reasi, Pouni Thanpal, Chasana and other towns of the district.
In April 2008 alleged mastermind Abdul Haque alias Jahangir, a militant belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen
Hizbul Mujahideen
Hizbul Mujahideen , founded by Ahsan Dar in 1989, is a Kashmiri militant group active in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir since 1989. Their headquarters are located in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. It is believed the group al-Badr, derived from Hizbul Mujahideen...
was shot dead by Indian security forces.