A fast-track court in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Thursday sentenced two men to three years in prison and awarded ₹35 lakh in compensation for a 2010 acid attack that left a local teacher blind and his wife with serious burn injuries.
The verdict marked the conclusion of a 15-year legal struggle led by the survivor, who remained resolute in his pursuit of justice despite the passage of time and diminishing public attention.
“She (the victim’s wife) kept the case alive,” said Chief Prosecuting Officer Zia-u-Rehman. “It was her perseverance that made this day possible.”
The acid attack occurred in 2010 at the couple’s home in Kolinad Devsar, Kulgam district. Nazir Ahmad Deedad, a Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teacher, was offering Maghrib prayers when his wife, Hajra, briefly stepped out to bring food for two men she believed were guests.
In that moment, the attackers hurled acid at him.
The brutal assault sparked public outrage at the time, but the case saw years of delay—until Hajra’s unwavering pursuit of justice brought it back to life in court.
“For us, the pain never faded,” Hajra said. “His blindness, my scars, and the endless court visits turned our lives upside down.”
During the sentencing hearing, the prosecution sought a harsher penalty, while the defence appealed for leniency.
However, the fast-track court emphasized the gravity of the crime and the importance of ensuring justice for the victims.
“I am convinced that the accused are guilty and therefore liable under Sections 452, 307, 326, and 34 of the RPC. The prosecution has successfully established the case,” stated Additional Sessions Judge Kulgam, Parvaiz Iqbal, in the judgment.
The court sentenced the two men—Muhammad Yasen Kully and Muhammad Iqbal Kully of Lamad village in Devsar—to three years of rigorous imprisonment.
It also ordered ₹35 lakh in compensation to be paid to the victims, with the amount to be shared between the couple in a 66:33 ratio.
The case, registered under FIR No. 214/2010 at Qazigund Police Station, had remained unresolved for over a decade.
“This judgment is more than just a sentence—it’s a recognition of what it took to keep fighting,” a prosecution official remarked.
