The Jammu and Kashmir police on this day pays homage to the martyrs of its force who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty, and there also appears a name of a patriotic who while battling the Pakistan-backed terrorists lost his life at the hands of those Islamic extremists. The heart-wrenching story of Inspector Chuni Lal Shala's assassination on 19th January, 1990 when a brave Indian fell to fanatic Islamic terror, till day, brings back the haunting memories of the period that left the whole nation numb.

 

A Kashmiri Hindu, Chuni Lal Shala as a CID Inspector of Jammu & Kashmir Police was posted at Kupwara district when the genocide and exodus of Kashmiri Hindus had openly begun and gotten even worse. A truly braveheart, Chunni Lal Shala from the day of his birth wanted to serve his motherland and thus joined J&K Police as soon as he accomplished his studies. He was born in a Kashmiri Brahmin family in a village named Sheer Jagir near Sopore in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir. He pursued his initial education in Sopore and soon after made his way to Sri Pratap College Srinagar for Higher studies. Later, he joined J&K Police as a Sub-Inspector.

 

 

When Shala was an inspector in the CID department of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and posted in Kupwara district, he during his duty had interrogated several Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists. Soon after, he began to receive threats as well as threatening letters which he never paid much heed to, being as fearless as he was. Although, he continued to serve his duties courageously, Shala was hardly aware of the danger and an evil conspiracy that awaited him.

 

 

 

On the unfortunate day of 19th Jan 1990, Inspector Shala decided to board a bus to his home in Baramulla as his jeep had developed some technical snag. As he reached to the bus stand in Kupwara and took a seat in the bus, his PSO approached a man wearing a pheran near the butcher’s shop and while hugging him gave the confirmation that “he is in the bus”. Once the bus moved out of the bus stand a van started following it. The bus would have gone only a kilometres far when the van overtook the bus and stopped it midway. Three armed terrorists jumped out of the van while one rushed to the driver’s door and put a gun on his head, the two others got into the bus and asked for Inspector Shala.

 

Brave police inspector Chuni Lal Shala, unaware of the plot he was already trapped in, sat quite patiently. The terrorists kept on calling his name, however, other passengers who somehow knew him also remained quiet. It was then, that his PSO pointed his finger out towards the Inspector, thus openly disclosing his identity to the terrorists. Inspector Shala wouldn't have had a clue that his own PSO, his confidante had backstabbed him and conspired his murder with the terrorists.

 

Inspector Shala was then forcibly de-boarded from the bus while the driver and other passengers were threatened of dire consequences if they raise a voice. Shala was driven away in the same van to a village Kasipora near Handwara district where he was first brutally tortured, his jaw were broken and his bones were heinously crushed. Thereafter, the terrorists tried to hang him, however, Shala gave them a hand to hand. After too much of struggle, however, the butchers succeeded in their attempt and shot at him from point blank that led to Shala's martyrdom.