Shopian SP out,murder case filed

Sources said the SP was transferred as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is keen to hold an impartial investigation into the Shopian rape and murder case which has kept the Valley boiling for the past 10 days. In fact,the proposal for the transfer was put forward by the CM secretariat and not by the police department which is usually the norm.

The police have come under severe criticism for the way it handled the twin murders since day one — insisting that it was a simple case of drowning till forensic reports confirmed that the two women were raped and murdered.

The Judicial Commission probing the rape and murders,meanwhile,inspected the spot where the body of one of the victims was recovered by the police. Members of the Commission also recorded statements of villagers living near the spot and relatives of the victims.

The body of Neelofar,22,was recovered from the Ranbair nullah (stream) while that of 17-year-old sister-in-law Asiya was found some distance away 10 days ago.

“Members of Judicial Commission and the state police’s Special Investigation Team inspected the spot where the body of Neelofar was recovered. Also statements of three witnesses were recorded by the Commission,” said Mukthar Ahmad,secretary to the Judicial Commission. So far,the immediate family members of the victims have not appeared before the Commission headed by Justice (retd) Muzuffar Jan. But they have assured the Commission and SIT that they would cooperate with both to unveil the killers.

Sources said the Commission also recorded the statements of doctors who performed post mortem on the bodies of the two women.

Shopian town on Wednesday observed shut down for the 10th consecutive day in protest against the murders. A protest demonstration was also taken out in the town.