Srinagar, May 7 -- The Nishat shocker spread quickly through phones, posts, whispers, and shocked voices.

In every corner of the Valley, people reacted with outrage. Shopkeepers in Nishat closed their stores. Religious, political and social groups, often divided, stood united in condemnation. Police acted fast and arrested the accused.

But what happened cannot be erased. It cannot be softened by statements.

This was not just a crime. It was a crack in the moral ground we stand on.

Kashmir has long taken pride in its values of compassion, dignity, and hospitality. Nomads from Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley have journeyed through our lands for generations. They raise their cattle in our meadows, live in tents on the margins of towns, and ...