35 Killed, 6 Kidnapped, 1 Released: 27 Years Ago, Himachal Witnessed Its Own 'Pahalgam'
Last Updated:
According to reports, armed terrorists from Hizbul Mujahideen gunned down 35 Hindu labourers in cold blood - 9 in Satrundi and 26 in Kalaban.
The recent terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir, has stirred painful memories of the brutal massacre that shook Himachal Pradesh's Chamba district nearly three decades ago.
It was on the night of August 2, 1998, when the remote villages of Satrundi and Kalaban, located near the Sach Pass on the Himachal-Kashmir border, were engulfed in terror. Armed terrorsits from Hizbul Mujahideen stormed the labour camps where workers, primarily Hindus, were engaged in road construction. Under the cover of darkness, they launched a coordinated and deadly terror attack.
According to official records and eyewitness accounts, the terrorists gunned down 35 Hindu labourers in cold blood – 9 in Satrundi and 26 in Kalaban. The workers, who had been toiling away on the region's ambitious infrastructure project, lived in temporary tents and were largely unprotected.
In addition to the massacre, six workers were taken hostage. Of these, only one – a Muslim labourer – was reportedly released. The fate of the remaining captives remains unknown to this day.
The victims included Santram, Diwan Chand, Maan Singh, Sher Singh, and Mir Singh, all residents of Bairaajgarh. Their families, along with the entire region, have spent 27 years waiting for answers that never came.
The incident led to a massive security overhaul in the region. The Home Ministry officially recognised the killings as a terrorist attack, prompting a long-term deployment of central security forces and a joint investigation by the Himachal Pradesh Police and central agencies. In 2014, a martyr's memorial was erected at the site of the massacre to commemorate the lives lost and to serve as a grim reminder of the horrors of that night.
Now, with the wounds of Pahalgam terrorist attack still fresh, the specter of cross-border terrorism looms once again over the peaceful hills of Himachal. Chamba, which shares a porous border with Jammu and Kashmir, has seen a marked increase in security measures in recent days.
Speaking to News18, Superintendent of Police Abhishek Yadav confirmed that border vigilance has been intensified across all sensitive points, including Tunu Haddi, Langera, and Kheri. All vehicles entering Chamba district from the direction of Jammu and Kashmir are being thoroughly checked, he said.
Locals, too, are wary. Many residents, especially during the ongoing Minjar fair – a time when a significant number of visitors arrive from Kashmir – are calling for heightened surveillance and preventive action.
'This is not the first time our peace has been shattered," said a local elder from Chamba. We remember 1998 all too well. We lost our sons, and we never saw some of them again. The government must ensure that such a tragedy is never repeated, he added.
Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated!
First Published:
May 01, 2025, 12:33 IST
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
100 Killed By Gunmen In Nigeria, Several Missing, Says Amnesty International
New Delhi: At least 100 people have lost their lives in a brutal attack by gunmen on the village of Yelewata in Nigeria's central Benue state, according to Amnesty International Nigeria. The attack, which occurred on Friday night and spilled into Saturday morning, has left many more missing, dozens injured, and families traumatized. "The horrifying killing of over 100 people by gunmen that invaded Yelewata; from late Friday into the early hours of Saturday 14 June 2025, shows the security measures government claims to be implementing in the state are not working," the post said. "Many people are still injured and left without adequate medical care. Many families were locked up and burnt inside their bedrooms," the post added. The Nigerian authorities must immediately end the almost daily bloodshed in Benue state and bring the actual perpetrators to justice. The horrifying killing of over 100 people by gunmen that invaded Yelewata; from late Friday into the early hours of Saturday 14 June 2025, shows… — Amnesty International Nigeria (@AmnestyNigeria) June 14, 2025 The violence in Benue State is part of a larger conflict between herders and farmers over land use, exacerbated by ethnic and religious tensions. The region, situated in Nigeria's Middle Belt, has witnessed numerous clashes between predominantly Muslim herders and largely Christian farmers. The attack on Yelewata village is one of many incidents in the region, with key statistics highlighting the severity of the crisis: over 500 lives lost since 2019, around 2.2 million people displaced, and recent attacks claiming at least 42 lives in the Gwer West district. Amnesty International reports that between May 2023 and May 2025, at least 10,217 people were killed in attacks by gunmen across several states, with Benue accounting for the highest death toll of 6,896.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Row over dismissal of Muslim workers at Shani Shingnapur temple
MUMBAI: Controversy has erupted over the dismissal of 114 workers from the Muslim community by the Shri Shaneshwar Devasthan, the trust that manages the Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahilyanagar district. The 144 workers are among a total 167 workers who have been dismissed, allegedly on disciplinary grounds, for failure to perform their duties. The temple, in Shani Shingnapur village, in Nevasa tehsil, is patronised by lakhs of devotees from all over the country. The temple trust also runs various public service institutions like hospitals, hostels and solid waste management projects. Last month, a video went viral online, showing Muslim workers performing maintenance work and painting the property. Local BJP workers along with activists of an outfit called the Sakal Hindu Samaj objected, and performed a purification ceremony at the temple. Following protests, the trust dismissed the workers, who had been employed in various departments such as maintenance, solid waste management, agriculture etc. Asked if the action amounted to discrimination based on religion, Tushar Bhosale, who heads the BJP's spiritual cell, said, 'Various organisations are registered with the charity commissioner and we have no objection to Muslims or people from any other religion working there. But the Shani Shingnapur temple is a Hindu shrine running on donations given by Hindus for religious reasons. This money should be used for Hindus only, and we will not allow non-Hindus to work in Hindu shrines.' However, Shri Shaneshwar Devasthan chief executive officer GK Darandale claimed that no one was removed for religious or caste reasons. 'The temple trust employs 2,464 workers but only 900 have been active. We removed the 167 workers for not performing their duties and irregular attendance for the last few months. Along with Muslims, there are Hindus and people from different castes in the list of 167 workers. They were working on a daily-wage basis.'
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Sacrificed at the altar of `illegal marriages', poor Muslim women face abandonment
Hyderabad: She was 28 when Imran* came home asking for her hand in marriage. And more than Rabia*, it was her daily wager parents who rejoiced in that moment. Their daughter was the eldest of five siblings, way past the "ideal" marriage age and often, discreetly ridiculed among relatives, for her "ordinary" physical attributes. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now So, when the small-time trader from Hussaini Alam demanded an 'off-the-record' wedding, nobody objected. Imran assured a Mehr (gift given by husband to the wife at the time of a Muslim wedding) of Rs 50,000, gathered two witnesses and it was done. There was neither a Qazi nor a nikah nama (a formal marriage contract as per Islamic tradition). Three months hence, Rabia has been unceremoniously abandoned. She is back at her parents' modest home in First Lancer – hiding from the man she thought would take care of her for life. And though beaten and bruised, she has no locus standi to drag Imran to the cops or the court. "Without a nikah nama, there is no official proof of the marriage. How can I take any action against him?" a visibly distraught Rabia told TOI, adding how despite the abuse, she is, unfortunately, at the mercy of her husband for survival. "My parents are too poor. They married me off, knowing this was illegal, only because they thought they'd have one less mouth to feed. Now, if he doesn't give me any money for sustenance what will I or my family do?" This ugly face of contract marriages without documents – a menace alive and thriving in the battered alleys of Hyderabad's Old City for years now – has pushed scores of poor Muslim women into a state of absolute helplessness. Locally referred to as 'Khutbah ki shaadi' (Khutbah is one of the religious sermons recited during an official nikah), these illegal weddings have become frequent in recent times, say social activists working with the victims. And the storyline in most cases is much the same: the woman is past her "prime", taken in by the husband for a few months and then abruptly dumped – often for another woman. But none of the victims have legal documents to prove their nikah. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Social workers explain how this 'trend' of dummy marriages started picking up post the decriminalisation of adultery in 2018. "This, coupled with the ban on triple talaq that came in 2017, led to several men, unwilling to get tangled in legalities, abandoning their women without a formal divorce," said Jameela Nishat, founder of Shaheen Women's Resource and Welfare Association. "These are much like contract marriages, but worse. While the former are illegal too, they at least have a nikah nama and a Qazi, allowing the women some room to fight for their Mehr or maintenance money. These illegal Khutbah marriages have taken even that right away." The women subjected to such arrangements confirmed that such marriages come with no assurances (barring verbal) of any kind -- no supporting documents and, of course, no legal or religious stamp of approval. Some women are given a stamp paper (TOI has a copy of one such marriage document), but all it has are the names of the two people getting married and the witnesses. "He was with me for eight months. Then suddenly, one day, he dropped me off at my mother's house in Saidabad and asked me not to come back again. After days of cajoling him to return, he said he has a girlfriend and wants to be with her," said a distraught Samiya* whose husband, she found, has had more than one Khutbah ki shaadi. The 30-something is now pleading with the man to either reunite or offer her monetary help to stay afloat. TOI's investigation revealed that there are marriage bureaus operating in different parts of the city, clandestinely arranging such illegal marriages – albeit for a fat commission. "Yes, we will get it done…It will be for three months…There'll be no nikah nama or Qazi… We will take all precautions to ensure there is no problem (read: police scrutiny)," said the woman from the other side of the telephone when TOI called one such bureau in Langar Houz, posing as a prospective client. She claimed that the availability of the 'bride' will depend on the money the man's family (that TOI posed to represent) was willing to pay. "We usually arrange for women who have been previously married. But if you are willing to pay Rs 5 lakh, we can get you an unmarried girl also. We will get the girl to sign a contract to ensure she doesn't create any issues once the marriage is over," the woman continued, asking TOI to send the prospective groom's biodata over WhatsApp. All the 'dealings', she said, would happen at her office in Malakpet. The bureau's commission: an undisclosed percentage of the lump sum. "Most of the money is pocketed by these agents with just a fraction finally going the woman's way…They also, usually, fish for distressed women who are aging, are extremely poor or abandoned by men in the past, as they are easy prey," said another social activist working in the Old City. Afreen* is a classic example. While she was promised a monthly maintenance of Rs 15,000 when she agreed to the 'stamp paper wedding' for three months, she hasn't received a single paisa so far. "He just disappeared one day, leaving me with a child who is disabled," said the 30-year-old struggling for one square meal. Her ailing father had consented to the marriage, about a year ago, only because the family coffers were fast drying up and there were three more daughters waiting in line for nikah. Expressing extreme displeasure over the existence of such marriages, Mufti Omar Abideen said Islam does not allow for such "illegal" contracts. "Marriage is like worship and under Islamic law, it must be revered not belittled. Also, adding Khutbah to such contract weddings doesn't make them legal and shariah compliant. In fact, it amounts to misuse of the word that is associated with something pious," he said. * All names have been changed to protect identities
