Gawkadal Massacre: Chronicle of a Kashmir Tragedy & Its Legacy

On 21 January 1990, in Srinagar’s Gawkadal area, paramilitary forces—primarily the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)—opened indiscriminate fire on peaceful Kashmiri protesters congregated near Gawkadal Bridge. This horrific incident became one of the worst civilian massacres in Kashmir’s history, with at least 50 civilians killed and over 200 reported injured, though local accounts put the toll as high as 250

The Political Precipice

The massacre followed highly charged events: on 19 January, the Indian government placed Jammu & Kashmir under Governor’s Rule, appointing Jagmohan as Governor—the move triggered a surge in protests and tensions. The night before, CRPF operations in Chotta Bazar allegedly involved raids and the molestation of women. This infuriated locals and galvanized large demonstrations across Srinagar, culminating in the Gawkadal confrontation.

The Day of Carnage

The following morning, crowds marched through key city hubs—Magarmal Bagh, Lal Chowk—and reached Gawkadal Bridge. A survivor, Shafiqa Dar, would recount feeling as though “Armageddon” had descended when security forces opened fire indiscriminately—even targeting the wounded and those offering aid. Journalist William Dalrymple noted that CRPF “walked slowly forward across the bridge, finishing off those lying wounded”.

Loss of Life and Human Impact

Officially, the death toll reached around 50, but estimates from survivors and independent sources suggest up to 280 fatalities. Hundreds were injured, and the Jehlum river ran red as many bodies fell into its frozen waters. One poignant survivor’s story speaks of gazing from a window, haunted by screams and lifeless bodies lining the bridge .

Immediate Aftermath and Escalation

The massacre triggered stupendous unrest. In the weeks that followed, paramilitary forces are believed to have killed around 300 people in successive protests. Human Rights Watch reported that these events escalated into full-scale civil war by early 1990 . Farooq Ahmad and others fled to Pakistan-administered Kashmir to receive arms training, giving momentum to militant resistance.

Seeking Accountability—and Failing

There was no prosecution of responsible CRPF officers. Although an FIR (3/1990) was filed, no one faced charges. Investigative bodies, including the State Human Rights Commission, found that records and evidence had been lost—some destroyed in the 2014 floods. In 2019, authorities declared the case “untraced” and officially closed it.

Eyewitness Horror

Survivors often describe scenes of mass slaughter. Shafiqa Dar, after four harrowing days, discovered her husband killed at Gawkadal. Another survivor, Fozia Yasin, recalls seeing bullets rain down on defenseless men and women on the bridge—many bodies even entered the river. Such testimonies continue to fuel demands for justice.

Political & Community Memory

Since then, the massacre is memorialized annually on 21 January. Groups such as the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and Jammu & Kashmir National Front (JKNF) have called for shutdowns and commemorations. Pakistan’s UN ambassador has repeatedly reaffirmed solidarity with Kashmiris over the massacre.

Legacy: A Turning Point

The Gawkadal massacre marked a watershed in Kashmir’s modern history. It radicalized many otherwise peaceful Kashmiris, leading them to join militant resistance. A spike in violence followed, such as the January 1990 Handwara massacre, where 21 civilians were killed during protests in Sopore and Handwara. It also shook other nonviolent communities, including Kashmiri Pandits, many of whom later fled amidst the turmoil .

Human Rights and Legal Implications

This event illustrates the chronic failure of accountability in Jammu & Kashmir. Despite Human Rights Watch findings and internal petitions, no perpetrators have been held accountable . The repeated invocation of “undetectable” perpetrators and destroyed evidence exemplifies systemic impunity.

Collective Grief and Resistance

The massacre deepened collective grief and fortified resistance. Mosques became fervent hubs of dissent. Communities pledged to remember through prayer, protests, and political messaging . Annual commemorations reflect deep fissures in Kashmiri trust toward governance and justice.

Closing Thoughts on the Gawkadal Legacy

The Gawkadal massacre remains a stark reminder of human rights overreach. It failed to extinguish dissent; instead, it fueled rebellion, fractured social fabric, and buried the prospects of reconciliation beneath layers of mistrust. The bridge, once a site of any tension, is now sacred and scarred. The pleas from injured survivors, lost families, and political groups echo as calls for justice remain unanswered.

Moving Forward: Hope Amid Memory

Justice for Gawkadal remains elusive, but the survivors’ voices persist. The challenge lies not only in historical reckoning but in broader peace-building: establishing transparent investigations, institutional reforms, and trust-building with Kashmiri communities. Without such measures, the Gawkadal legacy risks reactivation in new cycles of violence—and the river continues to flow over their painful memories.