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Kunan Poshpora Mass Rape: A Tragedy That Still Haunts Kashmir

Kunan Poshpora Mass Rape Case is now more than three decades old but justice remains elusive, and the survivors continue to live under the weight of trauma and societal stigma

Tuesday February 4, 2025 0:04 AM, Shahrukh bin Parvaiz

[Image: Pinjra Tod/Facebook]

I live just 5 km away from Kunan Poshpora, and growing up, I heard the harrowing stories from the survivors and their families. The night of February 23, 1991, is etched into the memory of every Kashmiri, especially those in Kupwara district. It was the night when the Indian Army committed one of the most brutal and mass human rights violations in Kashmir's history — a mass rape of women in the twin villages of Kunan and Poshpora.

Kunan Poshpora Case is now more than three decades old but justice remains elusive, and the survivors continue to live under the weight of trauma and societal stigma. This is not just a story from history books, it is a reality that I, as someone from this region, know to be true.

Officers involved were promoted and the retired in the dignified way as if nothing ever happened.

The Tragic Night: What Happened in Kunan Poshpora?

It was an extremely cold night of February 23, 1991. Personnel from the 4th Rajputana Rifles of the Indian Army did a cordon-and-search operation in Kunan and Poshpora. The official justification given for this was to flush out militants. However, what was alleged to have followed instead of a military operation was a brutal crime against humanity.

According to the accounts of survivors and eyewitnesses, the men from the villages were dragged out of their homes and taken to different places for interrogation. The women were left vulnerable. After securing the area, the soldiers allegedly raped and sexually assaulted women between the ages of young girls and elderly women. The initial report estimated 23 victims, but many in the village claim that the number was much higher — possibly over 100.

The pain and horror of that night still lingers in the memories of the people of Kunan and Poshpora. Survivors remember how soldiers went from house to house, dragging women out, tearing their clothes, and subjecting them to unimaginable brutality. Some women were reportedly assaulted in front of their families, while others were taken away into separate rooms where they were tortured. Pregnant women, widows, and even elderly women were not spared.

The cries of the villagers went unheard because the whole area was strictly cordoned off by the military. No one could enter or leave, and when the soldiers left the next morning, Kunan Poshpora had become a nightmare of pain and suffering.

In the days following the tragedy, the villagers gathered their courage and took their complaints to the authorities. A magistrate, S.M. Yasin, visited the village and recorded statements. His report concluded that the allegations were credible, describing the incident as "a worst type of atrocity." Medical examinations of some victims also confirmed signs of sexual violence.

However, despite these findings, the case was buried. The Indian Army dismissed the allegations as "baseless" and part of a "terrorist propaganda." The Press Council of India (PCI), led by journalist B.G. Verghese, conducted an investigation and infamously declared the case a fabrication. The government closed the case in October 1991, refusing to prosecute anyone.

This whitewashing of the incident led to global outrage. Human Rights Watch (HRW) published reports highlighting the flaws in the government investigation and accused India of attempting to cover up the crimes. The U.S. State Department also cited "credible evidence" that mass rapes had taken place in Kunan Poshpora.

Even with the case formally closed, the survivors and their families did not give up. They continued telling their stories, hoping for someone to hear them. They reached out for help from international organizations, human rights groups, and the local community. However, justice was a journey riddled with problems.

Silence, Stigma, and a Life of Suffering

Not only was this injustice legal but also social. Most of the survivors and their families were socially ostracized. Women, who went through all this, could hardly find a suitable marriage. In many cases, women were not tolerated by their respective communities; they could not handle the weight of the stigma attached to them. Young girls quit school, just because the teasing they got there was too much to tolerate.

For survivors, every passing year without justice is a reminder of how the system failed them. The pain they endured was not just physical and emotional but also societal. Some survivors left Kashmir, hoping to escape haunting memories and social shame, while others stayed behind, determined to keep fighting for justice.

The psychological impact on the tragedy was heavy; many suffered from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other related mental health problems. Some became silent, unable to speak of their pain, while others showed great courage in continuing to share their stories despite threats and intimidation.

Justice, in this case, was closed officially in 1991, but the fight for justice never died down.

In 2004, one of the survivors approached the Jammu & Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) with a demand for reopening the case. In 2007, more victims appeared. The SHRC recommended to the government to reopen the case and provide compensation to the victims.

In 2013, a PIL in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court was filed by a group of Kashmiri women-activists and students seeking justice for the survivors of Kunan-Poshpora. They argued that the state had deliberately suppressed the case. The High Court ordered the case to be reopened but, in 2017, the J&K government approached the Supreme Court to challenge this decision. Since then, legal proceedings have been dragging on with no resolution in sight.

Despite these legal challenges, the survivors and activists are persistent in their call for accountability. They have continued to organize protests, raise awareness, and document testimonies so that Kunan Poshpora is not forgotten.

Among the most potent contributions to carrying on the legacy of this carnage is a book authored by five young Kashmiri women Do You Remember Kunan Poshpora? It seeks deep into a very personal treatment of the testimonials of survivors; and it blows wide open with an institutional carelessness that persisted afterwards.

This issue is still in global discussion, thanks to reports from Amnesty International, HRW, and international media, and articles and survivor testimonies supported by documentary films.

Activists are also using the mode of social media to raise awareness about the atrocities committed against Kunan Poshpora, asking the world to remember it and call upon the global community to take note of the atrocities and demand accountability.

For those of us who live near Kunan Poshpora, the tragedy is not just a chapter in history — it is a reality that still haunts the present. The survivors are still waiting for justice, and the stigma of that night still lingers in the air.

The incident of Kunan Poshpora also serves as an unfortunate reminder about the mundane way in which systemic impunity keeps denying justice for decades. It also speaks eloquently to the survivors whose voices refuse to be silenced against the brutal fact of an incident.

Justice delayed is justice denied, and in Kunan Poshpora, justice has been denied for over 30 years.

The Kunan Poshpora mass rape is far more than just an incident; it is an icon to the suffering of Kashmiri women, and the failure of a just system. In the current scenario of deep scars left behind because of constant conflict, oppressing marginalized voices, and fighting for dignity and truth, Kunan Poshpora has become iconic.

With each of them alive, their struggle will go on. And for those of us living nearby in Kunan Poshpora, this pain is not far-off — it is part of our collective memory. Remember, speak, and demand justice. This is our role.

[The writer, Shahrukh bin Parvaiz, is a Law student and Human Rights Activist.]

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