Another man has been killed in police custody in Kashmir, this time a school teacher. Where do Kashmiris go for justice?

It is winter in Kashmir, and the desolate sky perfectly reflects the grey mood Kashmiris are attuned to. On 18th March, Rizwan Asad, a Chemistry teacher, turned 29 and his Facebook profile was filled with prayers. His friends and family wished him a happy and long life, but Kashmir has been home to unanswered prayers for over seventy years.

Rizwan was picked up by the Jammu and Kashmir police from his home day before yesterday, around midnight as part of a crackdown on Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Kashmir.

He was taken into custody, with no due process, like most arrests in Kashmir. Rizwan’s family says that around 24 hours after his detention, the police called them asking them not to talk about Rizwan’s predicament to anyone.