J&K High Court reopens Nadimarg massacre case: Terrorists came in army uniform; shot 24 Pandits

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has ordered the reopening of the massacre case of Kashmiri Pandits in Nadimarg, Pulwama. On the night of 23 March 2003 in Nadimarg, 24 Kashmiri Pandits were shot dead by Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists wearing army uniforms. These included 11 women and a two-year-old child.
Justice Dhar of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court said in his order that it appears that after the delay in hearing the case, the prosecution had sought permission from the trial court to take the statements of witnesses through commission, as these witnesses had left Kashmir. And were hesitant to appear before the trial court in Shopian due to fear.
After the massacre, an FIR was registered in Jainpur. Chargesheet was presented against 7 people in Pulwama Sessions Court. Later the case was shifted to Shopian Sessions Court. After the delay in the trial, the prosecution argued that many of these witnesses had gone out of Kashmir and did not want to come to testify because of danger.
On 9 February 2011, the Sessions Court rejected the demand for taking the statements of the witnesses of this case through the commission. Thereafter, the prosecution filed a criminal revision petition in the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court. The High Court dismissed this petition on 21 December 2011 without assigning any reason.
In 2014, the state government challenged the lower court's decision in the High Court. It also sought a fresh hearing of the case or alternatively transfer of the case to a court in Jammu so that the displaced witnesses can appear in the court without any fear. The court rejected this demand.
Thereafter, the state challenged the High Court's decision in the Supreme Court. On this, the SC asked to file a petition in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court to reopen the case. Now Justice Sanjay Dhar of the High Court has withdrawn the order and accepted the petition to reopen the case. The High Court will hear the matter on 15 September 2022.
Accepting the demand to reopen the case in the High Court, Justice Sanjay Dhar said that there is a difference between the power to withdraw the order and the power to review the decision, so this court has the right to withdraw such an order.
Kashmiri Pandits were forced to flee the Valley in the 1990s. Even after this, the atrocities on the Hindus remaining in Kashmir continued. In this episode, terrorists killed 24 Kashmiri Pandits on the night of 23 March 2003 in Nadimarg. 7 Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists in military uniform came to Nadimarg in Pulwama district. All the Hindus were called out of the house by calling them by their names.
After this, the women were abused and their clothes were torn in front of everyone. Then gathered 24 Kashmiri Pandits in line under the poplar tree. After that, they roasted them with bullets. Those who lost their lives in this massacre included 11 men, 11 women and 2 young children, one of whom was 2 years old. After this, the terrorists removed the ornaments from the dead bodies of the women and also looted the houses. According to reports, bullets were fired at his head from point-blank range.