New Delhi: The Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD) welcomed the government of India's decision to reopen cases of Kashmiri Hindu genocide from 1989-90. It hailed it as a historic step in the right direction towards full recognition of the KP genocide.

The GKPD stated that 34 years back their community was ethnically cleansed from their ancestral homeland following a pogrom of violence and terror unleashed against them. Eminent community members like Justice Neel Kanth Ganjoo, Pandit Tika Lal Taploo, Pandit Sarwanand Kaul Premi, Pandit Lassa Kaul, and Justice P.N. Bhat to name a few were murdered in cold blood. In total over 1,400 members of the community were martyred with lakhs rendered homeless almost overnight.

Till date, no one has been trialled or persecuted for these murders. In a vast majority of cases, even a First Information Report (FIR) was not lodged.

One of GKPD’s key demands over the last 34 years has been to get justice for our martyrs who were killed because they owed allegiance to the Constitution of India and because of their faith. We have worked tirelessly over the intervening years to approach the judiciary but have had no positive response, they said.

This announcement to direct the State Investigation Agency (SIA) to effectively investigate terror-related cases against the Kashmiri Pandits and coordinate with central agencies marks the beginning of a process which will go a long way in providing much-needed succour to our long-suffering community.

GKPD will actively monitor the progress that SIA is making in the speedy prosecution of these terror crimes both at the individual perpetrator level and also the mastermind conspirators whether domestic or abroad.

Jammu and Kashmir State Investigation Agency on Monday reopened its inquiry after nearly three decades into the murder of retired Judge, Neelkanth Ganjoo, a Kashmiri Pandit.

The agency, in a statement, appealed to the public to come forward and share accounts of events to unearth the larger conspiracy behind the murder.

The agency said it was relying on any leads which could have a direct bearing on the case.