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| Injured youth dies on day 4 of Valley shutdown, 40 more injured in clashes | | |
AHMED ALI FAYYAZ
SRINAGAR, Jun 4: Government has appointed SP Kishtwar, Dr Haseeb Mughal, as an assistant to Justice (Retd) Muzaffar Jan, for speedy investigation of the death in mysterious circumstances of two young women in Shopian, which has explosively surfaced as a matter of alleged rape-cum-murder and led to massive demonstrations and violent clashes across the Valley. Meanwhile, Kashmir valley today observed shutdown on the fourth consecutive day over hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s call and the death of an injured youth led to violent clashes in which more than 40 persons have reportedly sustained injuries.
Authoritative sources told Early Times that on the requisition of Justice Jan, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, ordered Dr Haseeb Mughal’s attachment to the one-man Commission of Inquiry. Necessary administrative orders were subsequently issued. Sources said that Dr Mughal has been immediately relieved and directed to join Justice Jan in holding and completing the investigation within one month. Further to be assisted by junior staff, Commission would camp in Shopian from Monday next to record and examine statements from all concerned. Sources said that forensic science and telecommunication experts would also assist Justice Jan.
No less than Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, and Advocate General, Mohammad Ishaq Qadiri, today appeared on the forefront of the government machinery to assert that there was absolutely no difference between the judicial inquiry assigned to a retired High Court judge and a sitting High Court judge. Chief Minister said in a widely telecast statement that his government had assigned the investigation to a retired judge not only in view of his high integrity all through his career but also for the fact that it would taken not less than two months to obtain Supreme Court of India’s sanction to the appointment of a sitting High Court judge for such an extra-curricular assignment.
Some of the prominent separatist leaders, including Mr Geelani, as also President of High Court Bar Association, Mian Abdul Qayoom, had disputed the appointment of a retired High Court judge and dismissed the same as invalid while arguing that only a sitting High Court judge would have to be appointed for such an investigation. AG today came out with a long list of High Court and Supreme Court rulings, seeking to justify that the appointment of a retired judge was more appropriate than that of a sitting judge. He asserted that both were recommendatory in nature.
Known for his exceptionally meritorious service record, honesty and integrity, Dr Haseeb Mughal is an officer of KPS 1999 Batch who has earlier functioned as SDP Saddar, Srinagar, SP Operations Srinagar and SP Handwara. Holding Ph D in biotechnology, Dr Mughal has conducted and successfully completed a number of highly sensitive investigations. It was he who conducted investigation into the attacks made by militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba and exposed how they had made preparations of attacking Gujarat’s Akshardham Temple at the house of a Cabinet Minister of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s government in 2003 and left for Ahmedabad from Manzgam village of Kulgam area. On this exposure, then Minister for Agriculture, Abdul Aziz Zargar, had tendered his resignation from the Cabinet which was not forwarded to Governor by then Chief Minister.
In 2006, Dr Mughal had conducted investigation into the infamous Handwara Sex Scandal in his capacity as SP Handwara in a record time and all the 13 accused, found involved in that matter, remained in Police and judicial custody without getting bail for 366 days. Those arrested, interrogated and prosecuted included men of high political, bureaucratic and media clout. Trial is going on in the court of District and Sessions Judge, Kupwara.
Dr Mughal also investigated highly challenging case of the rape and murder of a class 7th student, Tabinda Gani, and solved the mystery in 45 days. He arrested all the four persons involved in the heinous crime that had sent shockwaves through length and breadth of Kashmir valley in July, 2007. Having failed to get bail till date, all four of the accused are still in jail. Based on strong evidences and positive tests from FSL Chandigarh, this case is also under trial with District and Sessions Court Kupwara.
Meanwhile, Kashmir valley today observed shutdown on the fourth consecutive day of the call issued by Chairman of the separatist Hurriyat Conference (Geelani), Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who has asked the Kashmiris to freeze movement and shut the business in protest against the alleged rape-cum-murder of two young women in Shopian during the night intervening May 29/30. After days of his “house arrest”, Geelani had been formally arrested and lodged at a detention centre in Humhama but Police got him back to his Hyderpora house after he had called for an indefinite strike. Now, the 5th and the last day of Geelani’s strike is ending on Friday.
Reports said that like on the last three days, most of the business establishments, educational institutions, banks and even a large number of government offices remained closed on Thursday. Attendance was remarkably thin in the government offices that functioned. Commercial transport was completely off the road but skeletal private traffic operated in uptown Srinagar and other major towns in Valley. Shopian township in South Kashmir observed shutdown on the 6th consecutive day. Reports said that some residents and members of the bereaved family began a hunger strike with the demand that a rape and murder case be registered instead of a case of “death in mysterious circumstances”.
While some demonstrations were underway against the Shopian incident and thin groups of people were busy in routine clashes with Police and CRPF, a 22-year-old Nisar Ahmed Mir S/o Ali Mohammad Mir R/o Old Barzullah, succumbed to injuries at SKIMS. He had sustained critical injuries during a clash between demonstrators and Police at Barzullah Bridge on Friday last.
Nearly 2,000 people gathered and participated in Mir’s Namaz-e-Janazah and funeral procession. Carrying the dead body on shoulders towards Geelani’s residence, the procession of mourners clashed with Police and CRPF which it was obstructed near Masjid-e-Ibrahim at Hyderpora. Participants shouted pro-Azadi, pro-Geelani, anti-government and anti-India slogans. Police and CRPF used baton charge, tearsmoke and firing in air to break down the procession. Funeral was later conducted in presence of several separatist activists at Barzullah Bulbul Bagh.
According to reports available from different sources, demonstrators clashed with Police and CRPF at 15 places in the capital city besides at about a dozen places in rural areas. One bus carrying tourists was also subjected to stone pelting but nobody was reportedly injured. Reports said that the unruly mobs damaged over a dozen vehicles in Bandipore and Kupwara. Sources said that former Minister Haji Nisar Ali had a narrow escape when a mob attacked his vehicle at Safakadal this evening and his PSO sustained injuries.
People at several places alleged that CRPF trooped into their homes and thrashed many of those who had not indulged in demonstrations or stone pelting. Meanwhile, Dukhtaraan-e-Millat chief, Asiya Andrabi, called for a march to Iddgah in Srinagar on June 7th in connection with the protest against the Shopian incident.
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