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Sikhs demand Amnesty probe into massacre

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

An umbrella organisation of Sikh bodies in Kashmir on Thursday demanded a probe by Amnesty International to identify the killers of 35 Sikh villagers massacred at Chatti Singhpora in Southern Anantnag on Monday.

Addressing a press conference here, leaders of the Kashmiri Sikh Joint Action Committee rejected a government offer to provide security to the community.

"We want to live here with dignity and honour without any external protection," Charan Singh Bali, chief spokesman, KSJAC said. "For this we appeal to all Kashmiris, especially those of the majority community, to come out in our aid," he added.

Bali lashed out at the government which, he said, "had failed to protect the Sikhs."

Meanwhile, life in the valley was crippled by a general strike called by the All-Parties Huriyat Conference and some other organisations to protest against the Chatti Singhpora massacre.

Shops remained closed and traffic off the roads. Two bombs exploded in bandh-hit Ganderbal resulting in injuries to a local Station House Officer and two constables.

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