During the March 2003 Nadimarg massacre in the Pulwama district, 24 Kashmiri Pandits were brutally murdered. The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has ordered an “expeditious” trial. After nine years, the case is resuming its trial.
In Nadimarg, Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists dressed in counterfeit military uniforms murdered 11 men, 11 women, and two children by lining them up and shooting at them.
In 2003, the case was registered under Sections 302, 450, 395, 307, 120-B, 326, 427 of the Jammu and Kashmir State Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), 7/27 Arms Act, and Section 30 Police.
Zia Mustafa, a Lashkar-e-Taiba operative, was arrested. In Poonch’s Bhata Durian, he was taken to a terrorist hideout for identification of terrorists when he was killed by security forces.
Nadimarg case to be heard by J&K HC
A previous order dismissing the criminal revision plea was recalled by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court in August 2022 after the prosecution filed an application seeking its recall. In 2011, the prosecution filed a Criminal Revision Petition before the High Court challenging the dismissal.
According to the HC, the trial court must ensure the examination of witnesses by issuing a commission and/or recording their statements through video conferencing.
In an order on October 29, Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul said, “The revision petition is allowed and the order dated 09.02.2011, passed by the court below, is set aside, and the application for issuance of commission for examination of witnesses made by the prosecution-State/petitioner is granted. In order to close the case as soon as possible, the court shall take all necessary measures to ensure the examination of the witnesses by issuing commissions and/or recording their statements through video conferencing.