Question : ATTACKS ON MINORITIES IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR

(a) whether armed militants gunned down members of a minority community in Chatti Singhpura village in Anantnag district in Jammu and Kashmir;

(b) if so, whether the Union Government have sought the detailed report from the Jammu and Kashmir Government in this regard;

(c) if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the intelligence agencies failed to alert the security forces about this attack well in advance.

(e) if so, the reasons therefor;

(f) the steps taken by the Union Government/State Government to apprehend the culprits and protect the minorities in the State; (g) the details of compensation paid to the families of the victims; (h) whether the Government propose to impose Governor`s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir and declare it as a disturbed area in view of deteriorating law and order situation there; and (i) if so, the details thereof ?

MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS

( SHRI L.K. ADVANI )

(a) to (i) : A statement is laid on the table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO
(i) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.346 FOR ANSWER ON 18 APRIL, 2000.
(a), (b) & (c) : During the night, intervening March 20-21, at about 2200 hours, terrorists armed with sophisticated weapons entered into the Sikh dominated Chittisinghpura village, in Anantnag district and shot dead 35 persons belonging to the Sikh community.

(d) and (e) : There was no specific intelligence input regarding terrorists targeting the Sikh Community, which had remained untouched ever since the start of terrorism in the State of J&K.

(f) : Security forces immediately launched operations to apprehend the terrorists involved in the massacre. A local resident of Chittisinghpura was arrested for participating in the carnage, and the security forces conducted raids on terrorist hideouts resulting in the killing of a number of terrorists, alleged to have participated in the incident. The security forces have already strengthened the security arrangements in the Sikh inhabited villages in the valley by, inter alia, providing security pickets. It has also been decided to set up village defence committees in such villages, where sufficient volunteers are available.

(g) : Ex-gratia payment to the next of kin of civilians killed due terrorist related violence is made by the State Government on the basis of fixed norms.

(h) : There is no such proposal.

(i) : Does not arise.