Omar rubbishes criticism over Wandhama massacre

SRINAGAR, Jan 25:
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today brushed aside criticism that the State Government did not act against the perpetrators of 1998 Wandhama massacre of Kashmiri Pandits, saying 12 militants responsible for the act were killed.
“A lot of chatter about alleged inaction following Wandhama massacre of Kashmiri Pandits. Facts are very different and counter (the) allegation. Stay with me, while I put the facts here. On the night of Jan 25, 1998, 23 Pandits were killed by militants in Wandhama. Harkat-ul-Ansar suspected to be behind the incident” Omar wrote on micro-blogging site twitter.Com.
The Chief Minister said on February 17 that year, security forces launched an operation and six foreign militants, probably Pakistanis, were killed and another injured.
“All were affiliated with HuA cadres and injured militant admitted to being part of Wandhama massacre and named other dead ones as accomplices with name of ISI commander also,” Omar said.
He said six more foreign militants of Harkat were killed in operations over the following years.
“Further operations over next years in Wandhama area, other 6 more HuA foreigners were killed & no evidence or intelligence of further involvement (of more militants) is there,” the Chief Minister said.
He said the case was closed after that. “As a result, the case was closed and to suggest no action followed Wandhama massacre or Govt slept/ignored is not supported by facts,” he said.
A Kashmiri Pandit organisation, KPSS, yesterday alleged that the Government took no action to bring the perpetrators of Wandhama massacre to book and demanded that the Chief Minister issue a statement about the action taken in the case. (PTI)