Indian authorities have systematically denied families in Indian-administered Kashmir the bodies of their slain relatives, burying them in remote locations without family consent, a policy that has drawn widespread condemnation, according to reports and interviews with affected families.
Secret Burials on the Rise
In 2020 alone more than 140 Kashmiris were buried in far-flung locations, predominantly in northern Kashmir. The trend has continued into 2021, with over 100 individuals killed in encounters with security forces being interred in these isolated sites.
The policy shift began in April 2020, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, families were allowed to conduct funeral processions and bury their dead in local graveyards. However, authorities now view these processions as potential sites for radicalization and public unrest.
A Father’s Grief
Abdul Rashid Wani, father of 20-year-old Junaid Rashid, described his ordeal in an interview publication Haaretz. Junaid, former college, was killed in a shoot-out with the Indian military in Shopian district last year. His body was buried in Handwara, a town a day’s drive from his home.
“We tried our best to force him to return home,” Wani said. While he was still attempting to persuade his son, government authorities called to inform him of Junaid’s death and imminent burial in Handwara. Wani said he was briefly shown his son’s body in Srinagar but has never been able to visit the grave.
Strategic Justification
Indian law enforcement bodies have framed the halt of funerals as a strategic success, arguing it helps “stop glamorising terrorists and avoid potential law and order problems.” The policy treats all individuals killed in encounters as militants, regardless of whether families had prior knowledge of their activities.
Regional Precedent
The tactic of withholding bodies to coerce families and communities is not unprecedented. State authorities and non-state actors in countries such as, Lebanon, and Turkey have employed similar measures on various pretexts. However, for Indian-administered Kashmir, this represents a new and increasingly controversial approach by security forces.
Public Backlash
The policy has faced growing opposition from Kashmiris. Earlier this year, the hashtag #ReturnTheBodies trended on social media, amplifying calls for authorities to restore the traditional right of families to bury their dead with dignity in their ancestral lands.
