New Delhi: Thirty-six years after they were abducted and killed in south Kashmir, the Jammu and Kashmir Police has reopened the murder case of Kashmiri Pandit teacher, poet and social worker Sarvanand Kaul ‘Premi’ and his son Virendra Kaul.
The case dates back to April 29, 1990, when masked gunmen arrived at Premi’s home in Sof Shali village in Anantnag district. By 1990, militant violence had led many Kashmiri Pandit families to leave the Valley.
They told him that their “commander” wanted to meet him. The family was assured that the meeting would be brief and that he would return soon. The Premi family was the only Hindu family in Sof Shali and had decided to stay. His family also had close ties with Muslim neighbours. Residents recalled his help for poor families and his presence at the local Sufi shrine. He was known for supporting families facing financial difficulties, including helping with marriage expenses. The family was assured that they would be safe. When the father-son duo did not return the next day, residents called for a strike in protest. The police came to the village and assured people that Premi would return.
Two days before the abduction, village elders had gathered at the Kaul home at Premi’s request to discuss the tense situation.
On May 1, their bodies were found hanging from a tree in a mustard field near Bulbul Nowgam, around 20 km from the village.
Premi had marks of torture on his body, according to the family. The family says it was never properly informed about the progress of the investigation. Rajinder Kaul eventually approached the National Human Rights Commission and the Jammu and Kashmir High Court seeking action in his father’s case.
