Srinagar, May 9 -- When 18-year-old Sana received the news that she had topped her Class 12 board exams, her modest home erupted with celebration. Sweets were passed around, phone calls poured in, and her cousins danced in the courtyard. Her success was a rare joyful moment for a family living amid everyday uncertainty.

But joy quickly gave way to silence. A photo of Sana, wearing a sweatshirt and sporting a cropped haircut, began circulating on social media, especially X. Within hours, she was ridiculed online for looking "like a boy." A harrowing hashtag mocked her gender expression. Some even questioned her religion and upbringing.

"My daughter had done nothing wrong," said her father, his voice breaking. "We raised her to study hard...