World Children’s Day: India’s Brutality against Kashmiri Children

For over three decades, Indian forces have subjected children in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) to unspeakable horrors. Since 1989, at least 922 children have been martyred as part of India’s ongoing campaign of state terrorism. This barbarity is not an isolated incident but a systemic part of India’s illegal occupation and military oppression in the region.

On World Children’s Day, today, the cruel fate of Kashmiri children stands as a grim reminder of India’s atrocities. These 922 children are a part of the shocking 96,382 individuals killed by Indian forces, including the army, paramilitary, and police. The scale of human suffering is unimaginable, but the world seems unwilling to act.

Beyond death, thousands of Kashmiri children have been left orphaned—107,974 to be exact. The psychological toll is also enormous. Children who have witnessed brutal killings of family members now carry scars that will never fade. Many more have suffered physical harm. Pellet guns fired by Indian forces at peaceful protesters and funeral processions have permanently blinded or disfigured many young victims. Among the most heart-wrenching cases are 19-month-old Hiba Jan, 4-year-old Zuhra Majeed, and 8-year-old Asif Rashid. These innocent children were maimed without remorse.

The scale of violence against children in IIOJK is not confined to fatalities and injuries. Since August 2019, following India’s revocation of the region’s special status, thousands of Kashmiris—many of them schoolboys—have been arrested. They face arbitrary detention under brutal military and police occupation. Children are often subjected to interrogation and abuse, further deepening the trauma that mars their childhood.

The emotional impact on these children is beyond comprehension. Many have witnessed the cold-blooded killings of their family members, which has left them emotionally shattered. The continued detention of mothers, including prominent activists like Aasiya Andrabi and Nahida Nasreen, has further exacerbated their suffering. These children now wait in agony, unsure if they will ever see their mothers again.

Despite the overwhelming evidence of Indian forces’ brutality, the international community remains largely indifferent. The United Nations and other global bodies have failed to hold India accountable for its war crimes and violations of children’s rights. The need for global intervention has never been more urgent. The silence of the world only enables India to continue its reign of terror.

On Children’s Day, the world must stop turning a blind eye. The suffering of Kashmiri children demands action, not just sympathy. It is time for international voices to demand an end to India’s occupation and to stand for the rights and lives of Kashmiri children.