Shopian rape & murder case,20 lakh rupees award….

KT NEWS SERVICE
SRINAGAR, Aug 28: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of police, investigating the Shopian rape and murder case, today announced a cash reward of Rs 20 lakh for the person or persons giving vital clues, leading to the identification of guilty. In a paid advertisement to newspapers, SIT has assured to keep the names of persons, providing clues secret.
The announcement by SIT was made after it failed to get the vital clues about the guilty during its investigations.
Four senior police officers continue to be in jail after the state High Court ordered their arrest. They were indicted by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry (JCI) for destroying the vital evidences in the case. JCI had recommended their prosecution. Later the state government made the officers including the then SP Javaid Mattoo, Dy SP Rohit Baskotra, SHO Shafeeq and inspector Gazi Abdul Karim accused in the case.
The arrested cops had approached the Supreme Court for bail but it directed them to approach the Sessions Court in Shopian for bail. The Sessions Court, Shopian denied them bail, subsequently their bail issue moved to the state High Court, which is already monitoring the case.
The state government has already decided to hand over the case to CBI after it was found that the vital forensic evidence in the case was fudged at the government level. The government had approached the high court for permission for transferring the case to CBI.
Meanwhile, strong peaceful protest demonstrations were held at Shopian after Friday prayers today against the ‘delay’ by the government in arresting all the culprits responsible for rape and murder of teenaged girl Asiya and her sister-inª-law Neelofar on May 29.
Amid high pitched slogans, “Sab Qatiloon Ko Saza Do”, (Punish all the accused), the protestors marched from Tak Masjid to Jamia Masjid. They were also shouting slogans against the government and demanded immediate arrest of accused in the Shopian incident.
The traffic movement was suspended for sometime due to protests. The protestors were also demanding the release of six youth arrested by police last evening.
Reports said that Majlis Mashawarat Shopian (MMS) spearheading the Shopian agitation had last evening announced on public address system and loud speakers of masjids that the Friday prayers will be offered at 1.30 PM at all masjids in the town.
It may be recalled here that protest demonstrations were held in Shopian against the alleged atrocities by police. Police had to fire in air, burst smoke shells and resort to lathi-charge to disperse the demonstrators. Twelve persons were injured in the police action and subsequent clashes between protestors and cops.
Meanwhile, strong protest demonstrations were held at Singhpora Baramulla against the setting up of a CRPF camp in the area. The locals threatened to migrate en-masses from the area, if security forces camp was set up.
Reports said that around 4000 kanals of land were already under the occupation of CRPF and army in the area. This morning strong protests were held at Singhpora, at about five kilometers from Baramulla against setting up of CRPF camp.
Locals alleged that huge contingents of CRPF landed at Singhpora last evening and summoned the locals asking them to provide land for setting up the camp. They said that CRPF told them that they will be paid rent for land and fruit orchards used for setting up of a camp.
This morning locals held a strong protest demonstration against setting up of camp. They shouted slogans against CRPF and the government and blocked the Singhpora Baramulla road for traffic form some time. Local market also remained closed in protest.
Locals later visited the DC Baramulla Lateef Zaman and conveyed strongly resentment against the setting up of one more camp in the area. They told DC that some 30 years before CRPF forcibly occupied around 1700 kanals of land and set up a camp there and later in 1994, 52 Rashtriya Rifles forcibly occupied around 1750 kanals of land on which fruit orchards were spread and set the camp.
They told district civil chief that Singhpora has already been converted into a military garrison and if third camp was set up, they will migrate en-masses from the area. DC assured locals that the there was already heavy presence of security forces in the village and CRPF will not be allowed to set up camp.
Following assurances by DC, the locals called off protests. Later DC told media persons that CRPF was assessing some place to set up a camp in the area but the district administration will address the concerns of locals resenting against the setting up of camp.
source:kashmir times