Kashmir: A chilling sequence of disappearances, alleged custodial deaths, and violence has cast a dark shadow over the Gujjar tribal community in Jammu and Kashmir. This marginalised pastoral group has become the latest focus of the region’s longstanding conflict, as reported by a recent investigative piece by Al Jazeera. The report, supplemented by family testimonies, challenges official claims of normalcy and highlights ongoing human rights concerns.
The mysterious deaths of Riyaz and Showkat Ahmad from Kulgam district underscore the terror permeating Kashmir’s villages. The siblings vanished in February 2025 and were later found dead in a canal. Authorities suggested their deaths resulted from drowning or suicide, a narrative rejected by their families, who pointed to visible signs of trauma on their bodies. Another youth, Mukhtar Ahmad Awan, remains missing, intensifying suspicions of foul play.
The Gujjar community, with its remote settlements and limited political influence, is particularly vulnerable amid Kashmir’s protracted conflict. Al Jazeera’s findings suggest the state’s “law and order” narrative is at odds with the community’s lived experiences. A relative of the Ahmad brothers articulated the valley’s pervasive despair, questioning the official account of the siblings’ deaths.
In a related incident, Makhan Din from Perody Kathua took his own life on February 6, after allegedly enduring police and paramilitary force torture. A video he recorded before his death, detailing his ordeal and coerced confessions, went viral online, spotlighting the severe intimidation tactics faced by communities suspected of militancy sympathies.
The video’s circulation prompted a crackdown by security forces, targeting journalists and activists who echoed Din’s claims. Concurrently, reports emerged of mysterious disappearances among non-local laborers, migrants from impoverished regions of India. While authorities accused militants, activists see this as part of a broader pattern of enforced silence.
In December 2023, the deaths of three civilians in Poonch, allegedly tortured by soldiers, further deepened distrust. This incident, following a militant attack on an Army convoy, unveiled the harsh reality of extrajudicial punishment under counterinsurgency pretenses. The event sparked outrage even in historically less militant-sympathetic areas like Rajouri-Poonch.
The Gujjar community’s plight, punctuated by Makhan Din’s suicide and the targeting of non-locals, underscores a broader crisis of impunity. Human rights groups estimate over 96,000 lives have been claimed by Kashmir’s conflict since 1989, with more than 8,000 documented disappearances. Despite promises of reform, survivors remain skeptical, citing a history of unmet assurances and systemic protection of perpetrators.
The Indian army’s attempts at rebranding through youth events and development projects offer little solace to those grappling with a legacy of state violence. Calls for independent investigations by international bodies, including the United Nations, continue to be dismissed by India as undue interference. Without systemic changes, Kashmir’s silent agony persists, marked by unanswered cries and a justice system that remains elusive.