Shopian: War, Gender and Democracy in Kashmir

The rape and murder of two women in Shopian earlier this year highlight how the state's attempt to secure Kashmir's territory often leads to bodily insecurity for Kashmiri women and men. While elections have been held in a fair manner, democratic rights are still unavailable to the citizens in Kashmir and the extraordinary violence of state institutions weights heavily on the daily life of people. Does the union government have the courage to acknowledge its cumulative mistakes and make amends?