Illegal detention of women triggers resentment in hilly district

news details

Illegal detention of women triggers resentment in hilly district

Kishtwar Murder: No light for police at the end of the tunnel

3/14/2018 11:36:52 PM

Asif Iqbal Naik

Early Times Report
KISHTWAR, Mar 14: The murder of the renowned Kishtwar hotelier Ishtaq Ahmed Dar who was killed by some unidentified gunmen last week has become a mystery for the Kishtwar police as they have failed to find any clue with regard to the murder even after five days.
People are alleging that some females along with a few youths are being "tortured " by the policemen probing the murder case.
As per the details available with "Early Times" Kishtwar police have so far questioned dozens of people including some females in connection with the murder case while majority of those questioned were allowed to go home while around 6-8 youth are still in police custody along with some females.
The sources said that police have summoned several people after the scrutiny of the call details of the deceased hotelier, but nothing conclusive was found as the murder has been executed in such a professional way that the killer had left nothing behind while at the same time, the non professional approach of the police had also led to the breach of crime scene that has put the big question mark on the investigation so far.
The sources said that the SIT today visited the hotel of the deceased and spent sometime in the shopping cum hotel complex spread over around 2 Kanal of land with nearly three dozen shops and around two dozen hotel rooms.
The police team during the visit questioned the hotel and restaurant staff, beside also tried to reconstruct the serious of events but nothing conclusive has been found. The deadline set by the traders, family and the Majlies e Shoura Committee Kishtwar is approaching fast and the people have threaten to stage protest in case the police fail to arrest the culprits.
Meanwhile the Illegal detention of women for days together by the police without following the law has triggered resentment among people of Kishtwar who want that Police should follow the law while handling the detained women.
The people have also started raising the voice for transferring the case to senior police officers in State Crime Branch for speedy and effective investigation into the case.
When this newspaper contacted Chairperson of State Women Commission Nayeema Majoor over the issue of illegal detention of women for days together by the police probing the matter, she feigned ignorance about the issue and said she would look into the issue.
Speaking to "Early Times" Session Officer of the State Women Commission Khurshid Ahmed said that he had taken up the matter with SHO Police Station Kishtwar.
"SHO told me that they have questioned some females with regard to this case--- but said that no one was detained in police station for night" said Khurshid. He said that in case anyone comes forward with the complaint, the commission will look into it.
Following women commission intervention, police immediately swung into action and immediately released a few women detainee. One of the relative of the women confirmed to "Early Times" that she was released after four days from police custody.
Contrary to what SHO Police Station told women commission, some of the relatives of those females detained by the police for days said that some women are still in police custody and same is illegal since Kishtwar District has no gazetted women police officer and the show is run by some female SPOs and a few constable.
The sources said that even no Sub Inspector level females' police officer are in police station Kishtwar. They said that it is mandatory under law that women can be detained for a night only in presence of senior female officer.
A relative of one of the detained youth told the "Early Times" that police every night makes them to sign some documents, but are not releasing them added that the family members are worried about the health condition of their kith and kin who are under detention.
"We want to cooperate with police investigation--- everyone wants that murderers should be arrested-but that doesn't mean innocents will be harassed, put to 3rd degree torture" said a relative of a detainee and seek the intervention of the Chief Minister and DG into the matter.
Meanwhile, SP Kishtwar along with SHO Kishtwar today visited the house of the deceased to collaborate some findings gathered by the police so far with the wife of the deceased, but due to state of shock the wife of the deceased was not in condition to speak as a result of which the senior police officers return empty handed.

Share This News with Your Friends on Social Network

Comment on this Story

Like our Facebook Page