The Gawkadal massacre was named after the Gawkadal bridge in Srinagar, Kashmir, where, on 21 January 1990, the Indian paramilitary troops of the Central Reserve Police Force opened fire on a group of Kashmiri civilians in what has been described by some authors as "the worst massacre in Kashmiri history". At least 50 people were killed.According to survivors, the actual death toll may have been as high as 280.The massacre happened two days after the Government of India appointed Jagmohan as the Governor for a second time in a bid to control the mass protests by civilians.