Baramulla , Jul 13 (KNO): After 26 years of unimaginable pain and silence, Raja Begum, an elderly woman from north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, finally received a long-overdue measure of justice.
On Sunday, the lady from Kupwar's Lilam village, as per the news agency — Kashmir News Observer (KNO), was among the 40 next of kin (NoK) of terrorism victims who were issued government appointment letters by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in Baramulla, part of a broader policy to recognize and rehabilitate families shattered by decades of violence in Jammu and Kashmir.
Begum, who lost four members of her family in 1999 for simply refusing to provide shelter and food to terrorists, recounted the horror of that night — one that changed her life forever. “It was around 8 PM when they knocked on our door. They were masked, armed and demanded food and shelter. I refused,” she recalled, her voice trembling with emotion.
That refusal came at a horrific cost. The terrorists, she said, returned and murdered her husband Ghulam Hassan, her sons Javid Ahmed and Irshad Ahmed and her daughter-in-law Dilshada. "I was left alone. I begged for survival. There was no one to help, no justice, only fear," Raja said, breaking down as she spoke of her long battle for recognition and aid.
For over two decades, her story remained buried like those of many others, under silence, fear and institutional neglect. But that changed when LG Manoj Sinha, moved by the plight of terror victims across the region, initiated a fast-tracked process of justice and rehabilitation.
Speaking in Baramulla, the LG acknowledged that families like Raja’s were not only ignored but actively suppressed, while sympathisers of terror networks managed to secure jobs and influence.
“Today is a day of healing and accountability,” the LG said during the event, adding, “Victims like Raja Begum are not just statistics — they are our responsibility, our family.”
For Raja Begum, this appointment letter is more than just a job. It is recognition of her loss, her endurance, and her truth. “Thank you, LG sahib,” she said. “Decades of suffering have come to an end today.” —(KNO)