LG Sinha Hands Over Appointment Letters to 158 Kin of Terror Victims

SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday handed over appointment letters to 158 next of kin (NoKs) of civilians killed by Pakistan-backed militants in Jammu and Kashmir.

The solemn ceremony, held in Srinagar, marks a significant step in the Union Territory’s efforts to provide justice and restore dignity to families traumatised by terrorism. Several victims’ families, who had silently endured grief for decades, shared their stories of loss and thanked the administration for recognising their sacrifices.

“Today’s event is not just symbolic. It provides closure to those who were forgotten for far too long,” said LG Sinha. He paid tribute to the civilian martyrs and praised the courage and resilience of their families, many of whom had struggled without financial support or employment after losing breadwinners to acts of terror.

Citing examples of long-pending cases, LG Sinha highlighted the case of Abdul Majid Mir from Baramulla, who was abducted and murdered by terrorists in 2004. His son, Mudasir Majid, received a job appointment letter today, over 20 years later. Similar relief was extended to Suhail Majeed of Anantnag, Khurshid Ahmad Rather of Warpora, and Parvez Ahmad Dar of Pulwama—each representing a story of unhealed pain and delayed justice.

“These appointments are not a favour. They are a long-overdue right,” LG Sinha said, pledging that “every family victimised by terrorist atrocities will receive justice.”

The Lieutenant Governor linked the event to the broader transformation of Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 on 5 August 2019. He described this period as the birth of a “new Jammu Kashmir,” one where “jobs are given to real martyrs, not terrorists,” and “children hold pens, not stones.”

Addressing terrorism directly, LG Sinha asserted that “India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has drawn a new redline against terrorism,” warning that those who sponsor or sympathise with terrorists will face the harshest punishment. “There is no place for terrorism in a civilised society,” he said, calling on all citizens to unite against the terror ecosystem that has plagued the region for generations.

The government has also developed a dedicated web portal and established helplines at the district and divisional levels to streamline assistance, including relief and compassionate appointments. The remaining appointment letters will be distributed shortly at respective district headquarters.

Senior officials including Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, DGP Nalin Prabhat, Principal Secretary Home Chandraker Bharti, and Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri were present at the event, alongside the families of terror victims.

Following similar initiatives held in Baramulla and Jammu earlier this year, today’s distribution of job letters in Srinagar is being seen as another milestone in the government’s campaign to deliver justice and rebuild trust among victims of terrorism in the Union Territory.