The Budgam tragedy, on the other hand, has shattered these human features, pointing to the prevalence of monstrous characteristics in people as well, in this example, in the killer of that woman who had left her home to attend computer coaching lessons. While the full extent of the murder has yet to be revealed, the episode speaks to deep-rooted shifts and grass-root mutations occurring inside the societal fabric—changes that were unfamiliar to us as a society and were not supposed to occur. But, these shifts are taking root and have begun to appear in numerous shapes and forms, with the Budgam episode being one of them.
What happened is now in the past, and the focus must be on making the present better and safer, which requires competent policing. To begin, the police must conduct a thorough investigation of the murder case, bringing to light the motives for the crime and determining whether or not anyone else was involved. Why was she murdered, what motivated the murderer, and why was she murdered in such a heinous manner? These are the questions that must be answered and made public, alongside the post-mortem findings, because the case has shaken the fundamental underpinnings of Kashmiri society. We are not claiming that such occurrences elsewhere are common; rather, we are attempting to establish that such occurrences are unusual in Kashmir.
What is more crucial is that the woman’s family get all necessary help and the police guarantee that the perpetrator, or anybody else involved in the murder case, is brought to justice as soon as possible. In such cases, the deterrent is always a harsh punishment according to the law for the killers, and in the Budgam case, the police must complete the investigation quickly, file the charge sheet, and begin a foolproof prosecution so that the accused receives the highest and gravest punishment possible. The speed with which the case is investigated and prosecuted to ensure the heaviest punishment for the accused will be critical, and this will put to the test the effectiveness of policing as well as the promptness of the judiciary in J&K.
