Betrayal and Blood

A surge in murders, betrayals, and family violence exposes a deeper moral crisis in Kashmir today. Can the valley reclaim its soul?

- Peer Mohammad Amir Qureshi

There was a time when a single murder, even far away in the mainland, would shake this valley. People would whisper: "Neabri che Na Ek Nafran Moarmut Nafar." One human has slain another.

News carried weight, piercing the collective conscience. The skies seemed to bleed with grief: “Azi che Asmaan Wazul.”

Today, that distant horror has arrived at home.

In 2025, crime in Kashmir has surged. Reports of rapes, murders, and betrayals come from every part of the valley. Even Ganderbal, long celebrated for calm streets and pastoral serenity, faces rising violence.

The National Crime Records Bureau shows that criminal incidents across Jammu and Kashmir, including rape, murder, theft, and domestic violence, have increased steadily. Family disputes, friendships turned fatal, and minor quarrels escalating to murder reflect a breakdown of moral and social norms.

In July, Safapora in Ganderbal was shaken by the murder of a 28-year-old mother of two. She had gone to her brother-in-law for what was reported as a dental emergency. Investigations revealed a brutal truth: he lured her under false pretenses, assaulted, and killed her in an isolated field.