J&K L-G Manoj Sinha gives appointment letters to martyred cops' kin
Synopsis
Days after the deadly 22 July 2026 Anantnag terror attack, J&K L-G Manoj Sinha personally handed compassionate appointment letters to the families of two martyred officers at Lok Bhavan — a symbolic but concrete act of state accountability to a force that has lost 1,614 personnel since 1989.
Key Takeaways
J&K L-G Manoj Sinha handed compassionate appointment letters to martyred officers' families on 1 August 2026 at Lok Bhavan , Srinagar.
Absar Ashiq Qureshi , son of martyred Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi , and Inshah Nazir , wife of martyred Inspector Masroor Ali Wani , received the letters.
Both officers were killed in the 22 July 2026 terror attack in Anantnag .
J&K Police has lost 1,614 personnel to militancy since 1989–1990 , including 515 Special Police Officers (SPOs) .
The welfare framework includes ex gratia relief, cash compensation, compassionate appointments, and educational support for martyrs' children.
Jammu & Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday, 1 August 2026, handed over compassionate appointment letters to the families of two J&K Police martyrs at Lok Bhavan, Srinagar — a gesture of state support to those who lost their breadwinners to terrorism. The move follows the 22 July 2026 terror attack in Anantnag that claimed the lives of serving officers.
Who Received the Letters
Absar Ashiq Qureshi, son of Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi who was martyred in the Anantnag terror attack, received the first appointment letter at the ceremony. Family members of the martyr were present at Lok Bhavan for the occasion.
On compassionate grounds, the L-G also handed an appointment letter to Inshah Nazir, wife of Inspector Masroor Ali Wani, who also made the supreme sacrifice. Lieutenant Governor Sinha personally honoured the families and assured them of every possible support from the administration.
L-G's Prior Outreach to Martyr's Family
Notably, the L-G had visited Head Constable Qureshi's family in Lalpora, Beerwah, Budgam district earlier last week — a personal gesture that preceded the formal appointment ceremony. Such direct engagement by the L-G signals the administration's intent to go beyond procedural relief.
The Scale of J&K Police Sacrifice
The compassionate appointments come against a sobering backdrop. Since the onset of militancy in 1989–1990, J&K Police has lost 1,614 personnel to terrorism — spanning ranks from senior commanders, including a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and Superintendents of Police (SPs), down to inspectors, sub-inspectors, head constables, and constables. Of the total fallen, 515 were Special Police Officers (SPOs).
This is not an isolated act of recognition. J&K Police regularly acknowledges its fallen during commemorative events and has institutionalised a welfare framework that includes ex gratia relief, one-time cash compensation, compassionate appointments, and educational support for martyrs' children.
Welfare Framework for Martyrs' Families
Beyond the appointment letters, the administration extends a multi-pronged support system to bereaved families. J&K Police's welfare measures include financial compensation, compassionate employment, and scholarships or educational assistance for children of martyred personnel — ensuring that the sacrifice of officers does not leave their dependants without recourse.
What This Signals Going Forward
With the 22 July 2026 Anantnag attack still fresh, the administration's swift move to formalise compassionate appointments sends a signal to serving personnel about institutional commitment to their families. As counter-terror operations continue across the valley, the welfare of martyrs' kin is likely to remain a visible priority for the L-G's office.
Point of View
But the L-G's personal visit to the martyr's family in Budgam before the formal ceremony is a deliberate optic — one that signals the administration is aware of the political cost of appearing indifferent to police sacrifice. With 1,614 officers lost since 1989, J&K Police's institutional grief runs deep, and welfare delivery has historically been inconsistent. The real measure is not the letter handed at Lok Bhavan, but whether educational support and financial relief actually reach SPO families — the most economically vulnerable among the fallen — without bureaucratic delay.
NationPress
2 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did J&K L-G Manoj Sinha hand appointment letters to police families?
L-G Manoj Sinha handed compassionate appointment letters to the families of two officers martyred in the 22 July 2026 Anantnag terror attack, as part of the administration's welfare policy for bereaved police families. The letters provide government employment to surviving dependants on compassionate grounds.
Who are the martyred officers whose families received the appointment letters?
The two officers are Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi and Inspector Masroor Ali Wani, both of J&K Police, who were killed in the Anantnag terror attack on 22 July 2026. Qureshi's son Absar Ashiq Qureshi and Wani's wife Inshah Nazir received the letters.
How many J&K Police personnel have been martyred since militancy began?
Since the onset of militancy in 1989–1990, J&K Police has lost 1,614 personnel, spanning all ranks from DIG and SPs down to constables. Of these, 515 were Special Police Officers (SPOs).
What other support does J&K Police provide to martyrs' families?
Beyond compassionate appointments, J&K Police's welfare framework includes ex gratia relief, one-time cash compensation, and educational assistance for the children of martyred personnel.
Where did the appointment letter ceremony take place?
The ceremony was held at Lok Bhavan in Srinagar on 1 August 2026. L-G Sinha had also made a prior personal visit to the family of Head Constable Qureshi in Lalpora, Beerwah, Budgam district, earlier that week.
