Srinagar: In occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the High Court has mandated a change in leadership for the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the 1996 custodial death of civilian Mohammad Ramzan Butt. This decision marks a significant development in a case that has spanned nearly three decades.

According to Kashmir Media Service, this ruling follows years of persistent efforts by Jameela Begum, the widow of the deceased, who has long sought justice for her husband. Mohammad Ramzan Butt was reportedly abducted and killed by Indian police personnel on May 31, 1996, and Jameela has contended with what she views as a lack of accountability ever since.

The ruling by Justice Sanjay Dhar cited dissatisfaction with the pace of the investigation, describing it as progressing at a “snail’s pace” since the SIT was established in October 2021. The judge underscored the necessity for accountability among the Indian occupation forces and instructed the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) to ensure a comprehensive investigation, including scrutinizing the involvement of officers like the former Investigating Officer.

Hilal Khaliq Butt, SP Hazratbal, has been appointed to lead the SIT moving forward. The High Court’s intervention comes on the heels of Jameela’s objections to a closure report submitted by the SIT in April 2021, which she argued was an attempt to misrepresent the incident as a fake encounter.

Jameela maintains that her husband was severely beaten and killed inside Rainawari police station and has called for criminal charges against those responsible. Her lawyer, Tabassum Rasool, has been vocal about the delays in delivering justice, posing the question, “Such cases cry out for swift justice-if not now, then when?”