SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir administration will soon notify a toll-free number to assist families affected by militancy, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced after a recent high-level meeting with civil and police officials.
The move follows the LG’s interaction with over 80 families whose loved ones were killed by militants during the region’s more than three-decade-long conflict. During the meeting, the LG directed Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) to reopen cases that had been “deliberately buried” and ensure that First Information Reports (FIRs) are filed.
Officials were also instructed to prioritise the provision of government jobs to the next of kin (NoKs) of those killed by militants and take immediate steps to free properties and land of victim families that had been illegally occupied by terrorists or their sympathisers.
The Lieutenant Governor further emphasised the need to identify individuals from the so-called “terror ecosystem” who were complicit in the killings of civilians and are now employed in government departments.
He announced the establishment of a Special Cell in the LG Secretariat to specifically address the concerns of militancy victim families. A similar cell will also be set up in the office of the Chief Secretary.
“Every possible assistance will be provided to the families of terror victims, and the culprits who have been roaming free for decades will be brought to justice,” said Sinha.
He also directed that financial aid under MUDRA schemes and hand-holding support be extended to family members who wish to start self-employment ventures.
The LG assured families that those entitled to government jobs should submit their applications to the concerned Deputy Commissioners and that the appointment process would be completed within a month.
According to official data, more than 40,000 people including civilians, security personnel, and children have lost their lives in Jammu and Kashmir since the onset of militancy in 1990.
The Government of India, the LG said, has launched this initiative to allow militancy victim families to voice their suffering and bring to light the hidden networks that fuelled terrorism in the region.