Disappearance of Handwara resident in Punjab in 2013: NHRC pulls up authorities, issues notice

Srinagar, Jul 16: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the authorities in J&K, expressing dissatisfaction over their prolonged inaction in the mysterious disappearance of a Kashmiri shawl vendor, who went missing in Punjab more than 12 years ago.

The missing individual, Manzoor Ahmad Kumar, a resident of Dardhaji Rajwar in the frontier district of Handwara, had left home in March 2013 to earn a livelihood in Amritsar, Punjab, where he worked as a door-to-door shawl vendor. On March 19, 2013, Kumar was last seen in Amritsar. Since then, there has been no communication or trace of his whereabouts, leaving his family in a state of anguish and uncertainty for over a decade.

The disappearance of Kumar initially drew the attention of the now-defunct Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (JKSHRC), following a formal complaint by Rasikh Rasool Bhat, a  RTI activist and lawyer from Handwara. However, after the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory in 2019, the JKSHRC was dissolved, leading to the case being transferred to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Delhi.

Since taking charge of the case, the NHRC has issued several directives to ensure accountability and transparency in the investigation. On October 17, 2023, the NHRC instructed the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Handwara, to submit a detailed report outlining investigative steps taken, if any. However, the response received was limited to a superficial forwarding letter with no substantial update on the investigation’s status.

Subsequently, a reminder notice was sent on November 6, 2024, but the authorities again failed to provide meaningful information, reflecting what the Commission described as a “disturbing level of apathy” in a case involving potential human rights violations.

Now, in its latest and final notice issued in July 2025, the NHRC has given the authorities a four-week deadline to submit the pending report. The Commission has warned that failure to comply may invoke its powers under Section 13 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, which includes summoning officials in person and initiating legal proceedings for non-compliance. For Manzoor’s family, the 12-year-long ordeal has been one of grief, silence, and unanswered questions. His elderly parents and siblings have repeatedly reached out to local authorities, political representatives, and human rights bodies, but to no avail. “This is not merely a procedural lapse; it is a complete erosion of institutional responsibility,” said Rasikh Rasool Bhat, who continues to legally represent the family and advocate for accountability. “For over a decade, the family has been forced to live in limbo. Their right to truth, justice, and dignity has been systematically denied.”

Bhat stressed that the disappearance should not be treated as an isolated incident but rather as a broader human rights concern, especially given the vulnerabilities faced by migrant workers and hawkers who often operate without any safety net or formal registration in other states.