Hands over appointment letters to 41 NoKs of terror victims
Jammu Tawi, Dec 11: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said that no one in Jammu and Kashmir will ever again glorify terrorists, separatists, or extremist elements, asserting that the foundation of the terror ecosystem in the Union Territory has been demolished. He was speaking at a programme in Jammu where appointment letters were handed over to 41 Next of Kin (NoKs) of terror victims.
Sinha said that some people continue to spread misinformation despite remaining silent for decades when terrorism and its ecosystem dominated the region. According to him, these elements are now “restless” because of the unprecedented development taking place in J&K. Responding to claims that the region was more peaceful earlier, he questioned what kind of peace existed when frequent stone-pelting, shutdowns, and fear disrupted daily life.
He said the era of fear and appeasement has ended, and that terrorists will receive punishment while victims will finally get justice and relief. Sinha added that a handful of voices from the collapsing terror ecosystem were trying to create negative narratives against the country, and that strict action would follow against those spreading separatism or threatening national unity.
The LG highlighted that the long-propagated “false narrative” claiming security forces were aggressors has collapsed and that people now recognize the sacrifices of soldiers who laid down their lives for peace. He stressed that families of terror victims were ignored and left to suffer in silence for decades because of a biased administrative system.
Sharing figures, Sinha said that from the beginning of terrorism until 2019, 41,939 civilians lost their lives because of terrorists and their support networks. These families, he emphasized, struggled alone as the system failed to support them. He narrated the account of Naseeb Singh from Rajouri, whose father Dharam Singh and four others were killed by terrorists in 2005. For 20 years, the family lived in fear and insecurity, he said, noting that their case was resolved only recently under the UT administration’s new initiatives.
Sinha said that after years of neglect by previous governments, many long-pending cases have been taken up, and in July this year the administration began providing jobs to the next of kin of terror victims. Families deprived of justice for decades have now been identified and rehabilitated.
Describing how the terror network functioned for decades, he said one person selected targets, another supplied weapons, Pakistan-sponsored terrorists executed attacks, and others ensured victims’ families stayed silent. Even people within the system were intimidated, he added, while individuals connected to the terror ecosystem enjoyed influence and government jobs. This structure, he said, has now been dismantled under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
Sinha also recalled other cases—such as the killing of Akhtar Hussain in Reasi in 2005 and the murder of SPO Sanjeet Kumar and his friend in Kishtwar in 2004—describing the long-lasting suffering of these families. A new beginning, he said, will enable them to rebuild their lives with dignity.
Referring to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, he noted that society united to condemn the incident and urged people to identify terrorists and their supporters. He assured all victim families that no deserving case would be left without government assistance.
Sinha said a new era of justice has begun in J&K, where wounds are being healed and communities are coming forward to expose terrorism. He reaffirmed his commitment to restoring dignity and economic security to affected families, stating that providing government jobs to 41 NOKs, approving 22 age-relaxation cases, and supporting 19 wards of police martyrs fulfills the administration’s commitment to justice and rehabilitation.
Earlier, on July 28,2025, the Lieutenant Governor had handed over the appointment letters to 94 Next of Kins (NoKs) of terror victims from Jammu division. The move brings relief to 135 terror victim families from Jammu Division who were denied justice for decades.
DGP, Nalin Prabhat; Principal Secretary Home, Chandraker Bharti; Commissioner Secretary, GAD M Raju; Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar; IGP Jammu, Bhim Sen Tuti, Deputy Commissioners of various districts, senior officials and family members of victims of terrorism were present.
Members of Legislative Assembly, and members of various social organisations were also present.
