J&K HC reopens Nadimarg massacre case of Kashmir Pandits after a decade

New Delhi, Aug 26: In a major development, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has ordered the reopening of a case concerning Nadimarg massacre in which 24 Kashmiri Pandits were brutally murdered in 2003.

Justice Sanjay Dhar was hearing the application filed by the prosecution seeking recall of an earlier order whereby the criminal revision petition was dismissed.

"During the pendency of the trial of the case, the prosecution moved an application before the trial court seeking permission to examine material prosecution witnesses on commission, as according to the prosecution, these witnesses had migrated out of Kashmir valley and they were reluctant to depose before the trial court at Shopian in view of the threat perception," HC Judge Justice Sanjay Dhar was quoted as saying by The RepublicWorld.

The aforesaid application came to be dismissed by the Principal Sessions Judge, Shopian, vide his order dated 09.02.2011. The said order was challenged by the prosecution by way of Criminal Revision Petition No.18/2011. On 21.12.2011, the aforesaid revision petition came to be dismissed by this Court (High Court)." he added.

24 Kashmiri Pandits were killed by terrorists in South Kashmir's Nadimarg hamlet in March 2003.

Armed Islamic militants came dressed in counterfeit military uniforms to Nadimarg, near Shopian in the Pulwama district. The attack took place between 11 pm and midnight.Victims included 11 men, 11 women, and two small boys who were lined up and shot and killed by the gunmen. The victims ranged from a 65-year-old man to a 2-year-old boy.

The perpetrators belonged to the internationally-designated terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba and were led by their self-styled 'commander' Zia Mustafa.