NEW DELHI, April 3, 2026 : A Kashmiri family’s decades-long wait for compensation for property destroyed in a militancy-related incident in 1992 has now reached the Central Information Commission (CIC), with the second generation seeking answers on the fate of the sanctioned relief.
The appellant, Pran Nath, stated that their ancestral property — comprising a three-storey house, a multi-storey cowshed, and a wooden granary — built on around 10 marlas of land in Verinag of Anantnag, was gutted during a militancy-related incident on the night of December 7–8, 1992.
RTI Raises Questions Over Missing Compensation
In an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, Nath claimed that no ex-gratia relief has been received by the family to date, despite official claims that compensation had been sanctioned.
Records indicate that an amount of ₹44,500, as per norms prevailing at the time, was sanctioned and forwarded to the Relief Commissioner (Migrants), Jammu, for disbursement.
However, a communication from the relief authorities contradicted this, stating that no such payment was disbursed to the listed beneficiaries, including Nath’s father and other co-owners.
Second Generation Continues Legal Fight
The case highlights a generational struggle for justice, with Pran Nath pursuing a claim originally initiated by his late father, Shiv Ji Sharma, one of the co-owners of the destroyed property.
The family had earlier approached the High Court, which had directed authorities to examine the matter within a stipulated timeframe. Despite this, the issue remains unresolved, with no clarity on whether the sanctioned amount ever reached the rightful claimants.
CIC Flags Lack of Response From Officials
Chief Information Commissioner Raj Kumar Goyal noted that key facts could not be established due to the absence of the concerned official during the hearing.
He observed that the Public Information Officer (PIO), Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, failed to attend the hearing or submit any written response, despite prior notice.
The Commission has stressed the need to hear the official before arriving at any conclusion, indicating further proceedings in the case.
Unanswered Questions Persist
The family has demanded:
- Details of who allegedly withdrew the compensation
- Copies of sanction and disbursement records
- Clarification on the status of the relief amount
The case underscores long-standing administrative gaps and delays in addressing claims related to militancy-era losses in Jammu and Kashmir.
