In a significant judicial development, a court has officially declared a man dead 28 years after he went missing while in military custody. The court declared Abdul Rashid Wani, a resident of Bemina in Srinagar, as deceased and directed the authorities to issue a death certificate to his family.

Presumption of Death by the Court 
Sub-Judge Masarat Jabeen issued the verdict after noting that extensive investigations over the years had failed to locate Abdul Rashid. The court observed that despite judicial and police inquiries, no information regarding his whereabouts has surfaced. In this ruling, the court applied the principle of 'Legal Presumption of Death', which states that if a person has not been heard from for more than seven years by those who would naturally hear from them, that person can be presumed dead. The order came in response to a petition filed by Wani’s wife and children seeking official confirmation of his death.

Military Custody and Disappearance
Abdul Rashid Wani was taken into custody by the Army’s 2/8 Gorkha Rifles on July 7, 1997, from Rawalpora in Srinagar. Although another individual was detained along with Wani, that person was later released. However, Wani never returned home.

Investigation Reports Point to Custodial Killing
A previous investigation conducted under the directions of the High Court had found that Wani was killed while in custody. The report suggested the involvement of a military officer and indicated that the body had been disposed of in a manner that left no evidence. The police investigation report also concluded that Wani could not be found and was likely killed. The court highlighted that witness testimonies and investigative findings consistently confirmed the circumstances of Wani's disappearance.

The Family's Long Struggle for Justice 
Wani’s family has been engaged in a legal battle for decades to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of their loved one. With this court order, the obstacles to obtaining an official death certificate from the Srinagar Municipal Corporation have finally been removed.