By Our Correspondent

SRINAGAR - Kashmiri on Tuesday observed a solemn day of remembrance, marking 31 years since the Kupwara massacre, a tragic incident that left around 30 innocent Kashmiris dead and scarred the district forever.

On January 27, 1994, a day after India’s Republic Day, Indian troops massacred around 30 civilians in Kupwara Town in retaliation for the people’s strike on India’s Republic Day, January 26.

"Today is a tragic day as on this day in 1994, ruthless Indian soldiers carried out massacre in our valley and brutally killedshopkeepers and bystanders," Altaf Husain, a local resident in Sribagar told The South Asia Times.

Families lost fathers, sons, and brothers in what has since been etched into history as a grim symbol of violence and oppression in the occupied territory.

The massacre was carried out under the command of Second Lieutenant GDS Bakshi of the Madras Regiment, yet justice remains elusive.

A Court of Inquiry was formed to investigate the killings, but its findings have never been made public.

Human rights reports revealed that the then District Development Commissioner, summoned to army headquarters, faced pressure to distort the facts, further highlighting the lack of accountability.

The army’s non-cooperation ultimately led to the closure of the case, as reported by Kashmir Media in 2018.

Over three decades later, the shadow of injustice continues to loom over the victims and their families.

The massacre is remembered not only for the lives it claimed but also for the unsettling intent behind the violence, attempts to manipulate the demographic landscape of the occupied territory.

Survivors and local residents say the pain is compounded by the absence of accountability and the silence of authorities.

“The Kupwara massacre is a reminder of the criminal face of India and its army,” said a Kashmiri woman, who was 20 years old at the time and lost her father in the massacre. She requested anonymity due to fear of reprisals from the Indian army.

“I still remember that painful day when not only my father, but many other Kashmiris were shot dead by Indian soldiers. Their only ‘sin’ was taking part in a peaceful protest against India,” she said, adding, “My father sacrificed his life for freedom from Indian occupation, and our people will continue this struggle until we attain freedom and the occupation ends.”

Every year, the people of Kupwara and wider Kashmir hold gatherings, prayers to honor those lost in the massacre.

Activists and human rights organizations call on both local and international bodies to ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable, stressing that justice delayed is justice denied.

As Kashmiris mark this day, the Kupwara massacre serves as a haunting reminder of the ongoing struggle for recognition, accountability, and the preservation of human rights in the region, a wound that has yet to heal even after three decades.