The Save Youth Save Future Foundation on Thursday (September 4, 2025) released a research report on “Unmarked and Unidentified Graves in Kashmir Valley”, based on a six-year study involving the survey of 4,056 graves located at 373 burial sites. A key finding was that unidentified foreign militants constituted the largest category, accounting for 2,493 graves or about 61.5% of all the documented burials.
Those unidentified foreign militants had infiltrated from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and were killed during counter-insurgency operations. Most of them carried no identification papers to conceal and protect their networks and “maintain Pakistan’s plausible deniability regarding its involvement in Kashmir militancy”.
The study places about 4,056 graves in five categories. Besides those of “unidentified foreign militants”, 1,208 are of local militants — having their full names and family ties documented — representing the second-largest category constituting 29.8% of the total documented graves. There are 276 unmarked graves, amounting to 6.8%, concentrated primarily in Baramulla district; while nine were of civilians; and 70 of them are of tribal invaders dating back to 1947.
Former Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) Wajahat Habibullah, chief guest on the occasion, said the study represented a commendable endeavour to clarify a complex and emotionally charged issue. “It highlights the significance of truth in healing wounds and fostering a peaceful future,” he said.
Four border districts
Spearheaded by the Foundation’s scholars and volunteers, the study examined and documented “nearly 4,500 unmarked and unidentified graves” across four border districts of Kashmir — Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, and Ganderbal. “Covering six years of intensive field research, the report offers empirical evidence to counteract misinformation and propaganda regarding these graves, clarifying their origins and the involvement of both foreign and local militants,” said the Kashmir-based Foundation in a release.
Wajahat Farooq Bhat, chairman of the Foundation, said the research was a step toward truth and transparency. “These graves have long been enveloped in mystery and conjecture. Through empirical evidence and thorough analysis, we aspire to promote an informed dialogue that aids in achieving peace and societal stability in the Kashmir Valley,” he said.
Anika Nazir, a principal researcher, gave an in-depth presentation on the difficulties faced during the study and its future ramifications, stating that the report encapsulated human narratives, provided closure for families, and tackled a significant issue with both sensitivity and precision.
Rishi Suri, Senior Editor at The Daily Milap, said: “The study will go a long way in restoring the dignity of the families and communities that have been held hostage to a false narrative all these years and will chart a brighter path for Kashmir.”
Contentious issue
Noting that the issue of unmarked and unidentified graves in Kashmir has remained one of the most emotionally charged and politically contentious issues in the region for over the past three decades, the Foundation said the study was conceived with the primary objective of conducting a methodologically rigorous, empirically grounded, and ethically responsible investigation into it.
The study aimed to establish a factual foundation for understanding how these graves came into existence and what they actually represent in the broader context of Kashmir’s prolonged conflict. It involved physical inspection and documentation of 373 graveyards, photographic documentation with GPS coordinates, detailed recording of burial characteristics, and markers; and assessment of each grave for identification markers and categorisation possibilities.
The researchers interviewed a diverse cross-section of stakeholders, including local clerics and members of Auqaf mosque committees, gravediggers with decades of experience, families of local militants and disappeared persons, long-term residents with knowledge of local burial practices, and former militants who had surrendered or were released.
“The documentation revealed nine confirmed civilian graves across all four districts. Representing 0.2% of the total graves studied. This finding directly contradicts claims of widespread civilian mass graves and suggests that allegations of systematic extrajudicial killings resulting in mass anonymous burials lack empirical foundation.“
“One of the study’s most significant contributions lies in its systematic challenge to the dominant international narrative surrounding unmarked graves in Kashmir. For over two decades, these burial sites have been portrayed by certain advocacy groups, international human rights organisations, and media outlets as evidence of systematic state-sponsored atrocities against Kashmiri civilians. The empirical findings of this study reveal that such characterisations are largely unsupported by ground evidence,” as per the report.
The study recommends a comprehensive forensic investigation of the 276 genuinely unmarked graves in Baramulla using modern DNA testing techniques. “For the international community, the study’s findings suggest a need for more nuanced and evidence-based approaches to understanding and addressing Kashmir’s humanitarian challenges.”
Published – September 04, 2025 09:24 pm IST
