1997 Sangrampora massacre was the killing of seven Kashmiri Pandit Hindu villagers in Sangrampora village of Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on 21 March 1997 by alleged Islamic militants.
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Background
Since Islam had swept Kashmir about 700 years ago Hindus called Kashmiri Pandits had been an integral part of Kashmir. They speak the same language as Muslims, eat the same foods, farm the same fields and generally co-existed peacefully. In 1990 the bulk of 250,000 Kashmiri Pandits left Kashmir after being selectively targeted by the militants. Most are packed in refugee camps in Jammu.
The attack
This was the first of series of massacres which selectively targeted minorities in Jammu and Kashmir.The victims were led away and lined up. The militants shot and killed seven people. Several people were injured. The killers fled in the dark.
Aftermath
Muslims in the area expressed deep outrage at this brutality and observed a partial strike to protest this heinous crime. The last rites of the victims were performed by residents of the village and were attended by Muslims and Sikhs from neighbouring areas as well. Bharatiya Janata Party called for the dismissal of the government of Farooq Abdullah after this massacre. After this massacre the main organisation of Kashmiri Pandits called Panun Kashmir was dissolved and reorganised. The motive of these killings which were considered ethnic cleansing was thought to be to discourage the Hindu's who had fled Kashmir from returning and getting rehabilitated by the Farooq Abdullah government.
Following the massacre Government of Jammu and Kashmir provided 2-room flats to Kashmiri pandits in a colony exclusively built for them in Sheikhpora in Budgam District. The state government also provided the survivors ration and Rs 100,000.
Police has identified Pakistani militants Abu Haris and Abu Khalid as those who carried out the Sangrampora killings. Both militants were killed in an encounter at Hewader on 24 March 1997.