STOP THE HYPOCRISY! Ghulam Hassan Mir case.
On April 13, 2026, serious allegations of sexual harassment were raised against Urdu lecturer Ghulam Hassan Mir alias Azhar at the Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Sopore. Students alleged bad touch during class hours, which triggered protests inside the school campus that later spread to the main roads, leading to clashes and disruption in the town.
Following the allegations, police registered FIR No. 90/2026 under Section 75 of the BNS and Sections 9/10 of the POCSO Act. The accused teacher was arrested the same day and placed under suspension by the School Education Department. A departmental inquiry was also ordered under Joint Director North Kashmir, Hakeem Tanveer.
On 12 May 2026, after nearly a month in custody, the Principal District and Sessions Judge, Baramulla granted bail to Ghulam Hassan Mir. The court observed that at this stage the investigation material and witness statements did not sufficiently establish his incriminating role. However, this is only bail and not acquittal.
As of 14 May 2026, the FIR remains active and the departmental inquiry is still pending. The inquiry officer has stated that no primary victim has been identified so far. While some students have reportedly retracted their statements and the family of the girl initially linked to the case has denied any incident, no official closure has come.
It is unfortunate and concerning that soon after the bail order, many users on X (Twitter) and other social media platforms began celebrating the teacher as completely innocent and started strongly supporting him. Such premature declarations are wrong. Bail does not mean the allegations have been proven false or that the accused has been cleared. The case and the official inquiry are both still ongoing.
It is deeply unfortunate and hypocritical that when the allegations first surfaced, large sections of social media immediately sided with the girls, openly abused and defamed the teacher without any evidence. Now, after he received bail, the same people have quickly switched sides, celebrating him as completely innocent and abusing the minor girls and their families. Such opportunistic and inconsistent behaviour exposes how public opinion on sensitive issues is driven by emotion and trends rather than facts or fairness. Premature declarations of innocence are as dangerous and wrong as premature declarations of guilt.
In sensitive matters involving minor girls and POCSO provisions, responsible public opinion should wait for the final findings of the inquiry and the court proceedings instead of rushing to conclusions. Justice requires patience and fairness, not hasty narratives.