Manoj Sinha’s Fight for Kashmir’s Terror Victims
I Ahmed Wani
For over thirty years, Jammu and Kashmir’s story has been shaped by the noise of politics and conflict, drowning out the quiet pain of everyday people—teachers killed in schools, shopkeepers lost in markets, mothers and children hurt by terror. These victims, often just numbers in reports or forgotten for convenience, carried heavy losses while governments focused on helping former militants, leaving the innocent behind. Since 2022, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has led a gentle yet powerful change, putting justice and respect for these overlooked souls at the heart of his work. His kind and determined leadership is weaving a new story for the Valley—one where victims are heard, their hurts seen, and their dignity lifted. This change, long overdue, shows Sinha’s deep care for mending a wounded region.
In the past, governments gave jobs, homes, and support to former militants, often forgetting those who suffered most. As Sinha softly shared in July 2025, “It’s a sad truth for J&K that jobs went to terrorists or those tied to terror, but the young people and families hurt by Pakistani terrorism were left to struggle alone.” This unfairness built walls of mistrust. Now, Sinha’s team is healing this hurt with a new effort: a special database, started in July 2025, to find and help civilian victims of terror. Created by the Home Department and the National Informatics Centre, this online platform lists details from every district, making sure no one is missed. Real help comes through government jobs, money to rebuild lives, scholarships for orphaned children, and counseling for hidden pain. Helplines in each district and special teams under the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police keep things fair and open.
The change is touching lives deeply. On July 13, 2025, in Baramulla, Sinha gave job letters to the families of 40 terror victims. On July 28, he handed out letters to 80 more families in Jammu, reaching places like Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban, Poonch, Rajouri, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, and Reasi. Another event is set for August 5 in Srinagar, and the work will continue until every family is helped. These aren’t just jobs, they’re rays of hope for those long forgotten.
The heart of this change shines in victims’ stories, shared on X, carrying their sorrow and hope to others. Suhail Yousuf Shah, speaking in Baramulla, told of losing his uncle and mother to terrorists in 2002: “That day still hurts, how cruelly my mother was taken.” His thanks to Sinha, shared by @diprjk, touched many, with @KashmirRoshan posting: “After years of pain, terror victim families find justice.” Another woman, her voice shaking, shared: “My sons and daughter were killed for not feeding terrorists. My family died for being Indian.” Her words, spread by @JammuKashmirNow, showed the heavy price of love for country, moving thousands on X.
Mareesa Thapa’s story pulls at the heart. Her father, Raj Kumar Thapa, a senior officer, was killed in Pakistani shelling during Operation Sindoor in 2025. On July 29, Sinha met her at Raj Bhawan, promising her a job as an Assistant Law Officer after her studies. This moment, shared by @TheHangul_, read: “A first! LG Manoj Sinha’s government truly sees J&K’s terror victims.” Namrat, a 17-year-old from Baramulla, lost her grandfather to terrorists in 1994. Living in a small tin shed, she and her brother struggled for years. Her family’s new job hope, noted by @KashmirLife, lights a path forward.
Gul Hassan Shah, 96, from a quiet village, still grieves his son, killed by terrorists 22 years ago. His soft, trembling words, posted by @JammuKashmirNow, shared years of waiting: “If leaders cared, they’d have protected victims.” Sinha’s work, reopening old cases after Operation Sindoor, gives Gul hope, as @diprjk shared.
Groups like Save Youth Save Future Foundation work hand-in-hand with Sinha, making sure help reaches the right people. On July 26, 2025, Sinha thanked them for guiding youth and easing victims’ pain, a feeling echoed by @KashmirLife: “LG Sinha’s teamwork with local groups is changing lives.” But challenges remain. Old, messy records make finding victims hard, and deep emotional scars, especially in children, need long-term care. Making victims’ rights a law and helping communities heal through jobs and trust are key to lasting peace.
Sinha’s gentle words—“Don’t harm the innocent, don’t spare the guilty”—guide this change. His dream, shared at Kashur Riwaaj 2025 in Baramulla, is a Kashmir free of terror. With his caring leadership, the Valley is writing a new story where kindness is the foundation, and peace walks with justice. The stories of Suhail, Mareesa, Namrat, and Gul, shared on X, show that Sinha’s fight is bringing dignity back to Kashmir’s terror victims, soothing hurts long ignored.
