'He was offering prayers when attacked with acid': Conviction brings end to wife’s 15-year battle in horrific Kulgam acid attack case

July 22, 2025 by News Desk

Danishwar Hameed

Bringing a fifteen-year-long ordeal to a close, the Fast Track Court of Additional Sessions Judge in Kulgam has convicted two men in the 2010 acid attack on a local schoolteacher, Nazir Ahmed Bihad, who was grievously injured during Maghrib prayers. His wife, who suffered severe burns while trying to help him, remained a pillar of strength throughout the years-long legal battle.

The judgment, passed on Monday, held two individuals, Mohammad Yasen Kully, and Mohammad Iqbal Kully, guilty in connection with FIR No. 214/2010 under sections 452, 307, 326, and 34 of the RPC, registered at Police Station Qazigund.

Both are residents of Kully Nad Lamad, Devsar.

According to CPO Kulgam Zia u Rehman, the teacher, a Rehbar-e-Taleem educator hailing from Kolinad Lamad, was attacked with acid while offering Maghrib prayers.

“His wife thought the men had come to visit. He asked them to wait and she went inside to fetch food for them. In that brief moment, they threw acid on his body,” he said.

The assault resulted in the loss of his eyesight, and his wife sustained severe burns in the process of trying to save him.

The horrific incident left not only physical scars but forced the couple into a life of struggle and medical dependence.

For years, the justice system seemed slow and indifferent, but the unwavering determination of Nazir Ahmed’s wife proved instrumental in the case reaching its conclusion.

Despite her injuries and emotional trauma, she consistently attended court hearings, filed paperwork, followed up with officials, and ensured the case was never forgotten.

“Her resilience kept the case alive,” said an official in the prosecution team. “She appeared in court time and again, even when others gave up hope. Without her, we would not have seen this verdict.”

The acid attack sent shockwaves through the region in 2010, highlighting the vulnerability of civilians even within their homes. At the time, there was outrage, but like many such incidents, it faded from the public eye—except for the victim’s family, who continued to live the consequences every day.

Arguments for the quantum of punishment are scheduled to be heard shortly. The detailed order of conviction is expected to be released tomorrow.

For Nazir and his wife, this long-awaited judgment is not just a legal victory, it is a testament to perseverance, courage, and love tested under the harshest conditions.