It might be startling for many that Dogra Raj in Kashmir was known for so many good reasons. The life and property of the common man was not as insecure as it is nowadays, in AJk and Pakistan .The courts, by and large, were free to dispense justice to common people, even to those who did not have any approach or backing.

However, in our country, it is a sad fact that influential people (smugglers, money launderers, murderers, plunderers, even violators of the constitution) get a clean chit from our police and the courts tend to let them go scot free. Whereas, the poor, even in dilapidated health condition, perish waiting for the hearing date to be fixed by the courts. Mush and Nawaz Sharif offer glaring examples of this ‘justice’.  

In this connection, it is apropos to recall an incident that occurred during Dogra Raj.  Once a an influential man from Samahni , district  Bhimber  AJK, who was serving  in cavalry of Maha Raja fell in love with a woman from Dogra family. The cavalry man was well known for tent pegging expertise, thereby enjoying connection with high ups. One day, the lady of his dreams came to Raja and confided with him that she would not be able to marry him, for she was going to get married with someone else, a member of Dogra family. Sensing his dream of marrying the damsel being shattered, the sepoy unsheathed his dagger and thrust into her chest. She let out a piercing cry, spluttering: “you’ve inflicted an unnatural death upon me.” Certainly ,She had not come to Raja to sign her own slaughter.

Following it, while being tried in the court, the accused confessed having committed a foul murder. So, there was every possibility that he would meet a justified end. It merits a mention here that all members of Dogra family were given royal privileges and perks. If any Muslim was involved in murder of a Dogra, he was given capital punishment straightway. But if any Dogra was involved in any murder, he fined paltry rupees two or one.

But, when the trial was at its final stage, a Muslim governor of Jammu, mounted on the horse and rode straight to the court to see Dogra Judge who was hearing the case. The judge in question was his class fellow and very close friend. The governor gave the judge (his friend) two options: either to disown his friendship or ensure acquittal of the accused, for his entire tribe was demanding him to get the accused released. 

Not being able to withstand the pressure, the court, in its final verdict absolved the accused, on grounds of non-availability of substantial evidence.  But, at the end of that verdict, the  judge wrote: the accused murdered not only  a nari, a virtuous lady but also  slew his own  ‘pivattar  piyar’, his own  sanctified love which amounts to  a dual murder. Adding on, the judge marked, expressing utter helplessness:  ‘laekan asal falsa Bhagwan kare ga’(God would do the real justice). After having written the judgement, the judge broke his pen and never went to the court again, repenting that he absolved a confirm murderer.

Following the acquittal, the family and friends of the murderer escorted him homewards, showering flower petals, dancing and giggling. The relatives also distributed tons of sweats to rejoice the release and win. It did not spring a surprise to many that  same scenario was witnessed recently in AJK, when the accused, an influential political leader and his two sons, nominated in murder of two poor men on 25 July 20201 (the election day ),  were welcome, cheered and garlanded, after the court, in an usual haste,  freed them on bail. The supporters ushered eleven men, chanting slogans of triumph and weaving victory signs.

After having been exonerated by Dogra court and praised by his baradri, the murderer grew even more bigheaded and started boasting of his power and influence. He started to ridicule the victim’s family, swaggering that they had obtained ‘justice’. Naturally, the victim’s family felt even more insulted, saddened and grieved. The murderer of their young daughter was free to insult their injury. It is rightly said that the weak has no choice but to wail or to walk away, looking at the heaven.

Nonetheless, the heaven was planning something else, to dispense justice and compensate those whose woes and cries had shaken the skies, moved the angles. The hapless prayers and pleadings do not go unheard; they are answered sooner or later .One day, the newly released murderer wore his finest clothes, tied a cotton turban and yearned to celebrate his triumph riding a mare. When he reached close to his mare, she unleashed a powerful hind leg kick, which cracked his skull, leaving the part of brain plastered against the wall. Divine justice made him an example.  God, ‘ Bhagwan’ had dispensed  His justice, as pleaded for by Dogra Judge .

The episode might sound peculiar to many, and countless may raise fingers on the issue of referring to God, as Bhagwan.  But the story   expresses a very grand message that sooner or later the celestial   justice unfolds itself and the wrong doers, no matter how high or mighty they are, get their due retribution, and become an examples for others to learn lesson(s) from.

After independence, our justice system has gone down the drains. The poor rot in prisons, whereas, the powerful and elite relish protocol even in jails: for them courts fix dates on priority basis. Seeking justice, running from pillar to post, the victims die or drop off the cases. But no judge breaks his pen, puts up a resignation, repenting that murderers, money launderers, land grabbers have been freed. Does anyone exercise any courage to seek divine help to heal the scars of hapless sufferers?

 In most of the cases, the trodden victims stare at the sky, raising their quivering hands, questioning: “O Allah when would you do justice. How long this land of pure would keep on witnessing the have-nots suffering at the hands of high and mighty, and seeing the culprits being acquitted, making victory symbols and escorted by dancing and cheering crowd?’’