Javed Iqbal
Since the occupation of Kashmir by Indian forces, not a single day has passed without news of atrocities, fake encounters, arrests, and clampdowns on innocent Kashmiris. Every day, new methods and tactics are used to break the courage and determination of the brave Kashmiri people, yet the Indian rulers’ dream of subjugation will never see the light of day. Among other tactics of violence, enforced disappearance is being practiced by Indian forces with complete impunity.
Individuals detained by the Indian Army for interrogation often go missing. These detentions frequently occur without formal charges or legal proceedings, making it easier for the Indian Army to deny responsibility. According to data collected by local human rights organizations such as the Association of Parentsja of Disappeared Persons (APDP), over 8,000 people have been subjected to enforced disappearances in IIOJK. The actual number of victims remains uncertain due to a complete ban on reporting such incidents. However, some heart-wrenching cases awaiting justice and the awakening of the conscience of the so-called champions of human rights are as follows:
Pathribal Fake Encounter (2000): In this gruesome act of violence five villagers were killed in a staged encounter by Indian Army personnel, who falsely claimed they were foreign militants responsible for the Chattisinghpora massacre. It was later proven that they were innocent civilians. Despite a lengthy legal battle, no one has been held accountable.
Kunan-Poshpora Incident (1991) also known for mass rapes, this incident also involved the enforced disappearance of several villagers by the Indian Army. These individuals have never been accounted for.
In 2011, the IIOJK State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) confirmed the existence of 2,730 unmarked mass graves across the districts of Bandipora, Baramulla, and Kupwara. These graves contained over 2,943 bodies. Investigations by human rights groups suggest that many of those buried were victims of enforced disappearances, killed by Indian security forces and later labeled as “unidentified militants” to cover up extrajudicial killings.
In the first three months of 2025, five cases from Kathua and Kulgam districts were reported. Their bodies were recovered three days later from a canal. Efforts by victims’ families to seek justice have largely failed due to the lack of accountability and the systemic protection granted to security forces by the Indian legal system.
Families of the disappeared, often referred to as “half-widows,” face severe social and economic hardships. They live in a state of perpetual uncertainty, not knowing the fate of their loved ones.
Various international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have repeatedly highlighted the issue of enforced disappearances in IIOJK, urging the Indian government to investigate and provide justice. The United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has also called on India to address these cases, but the Indian government has largely ignored these recommendations.
Despite overwhelming evidence, the Indian Army has consistently denied involvement in enforced disappearances, labeling those who vanished as “militants” or “terrorists.” Indian authorities have further amended laws to provide complete impunity for unlawful acts of enforced disappearance. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) grants immunity to the Indian Army and other security forces, shielding them from prosecution for actions taken in the line of duty. This legal protection has fostered a culture of impunity, where enforced disappearances and other human rights violations are rarely investigated or punished.
On 30th August, the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances is observed to express solidarity with victims’ families and to demand accountability from those responsible for these heinous crimes against humanity. Enforced disappearances in IIOJK represent a grave human rights crisis, with the Indian Army playing a central role in these abuses. The lack of accountability and justice for the victims and their families underscores the systemic nature of these violations, perpetuating suffering and trauma.
The writer is a freelance columnist and contributes regularly on issues concerning national security.
