Six Years of Silence Broken: National Commission for Women Directs Police to Act in Srinagar Domestic Violence Case

Srinagar, May 19: In Srinagar, a six‑year struggle against domestic violence and police inaction finally moved forward when the National Commission for Women intervened, directing police to enforce a long‑ignored court order within 15 days.

Rehana Akhtar (name changed), 30, endured a decade of abuse from her husband and neglect from authorities. When her in‑laws expelled her, she sought police help but was ignored.

A court later granted her alimony and residence rights, yet six months after the ruling she remained homeless; because enforcement never followed.

Her turning point came at a “women’s public hearing” organized by the NCW in Srinagar. Unlike routine hearings, this was direct intervention.

Rehana’s case was heard, and the police were handed a 15‑day ultimatum to implement the court’s order. She was among 14 women who received immediate relief that day, with directives issued in five other cases.

For years, women here have felt invisible in the justice system. Today, at least, someone listened,” said Parveena Akhtar, a local activist.

“This shows how important institutional presence is. Without a commission here, women are left to fight alone,” a law student present added,

Pertinently, since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, Jammu and Kashmir no longer has a State Women’s Commission.

NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar said that Union Territories cannot have separate commissions, leaving women dependent on district legal cells or police women’s desks.

To bridge this gap, the NCW has sought approval to establish physical offices in all UTs, so women need not travel to Delhi for redress.

“We see women going from one office to another, carrying files, but nothing moves,” said Shabir Ahmad, a retired teacher from Srinagar. “NCW’s presence here is welcome, but it must be permanent,” he added.

Meanwhile, National Crime Records Bureau informed that cases against women in Jammu and Kashmir have remained consistently high over the past four years, with a sharp escalation in 2024–25.

Domestic violence alone accounted for nearly 2,000 incidents in that period, marking a 121 percent rise compared to the previous year. Fast‑track courts, set up to deliver swift justice, still carry a backlog of nearly 500 pending cases involving women and children as of September 2025.

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