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| Justice Jan does a good job | | |
Justice (Retd) Muzaffar Ahmed Jan, who headed the one-man judicial commission to probe into the alleged rape and murder of two women in Shopian, deserves accolades for having submitted an interim report to the state Government within less than 21 days. The Government had ordered setting up of the commission on June 1. Justice Jan had been asked to complete the probe within one month. Even if he has been able to submit an interim report, and not the final one, he deserves credit because he had to work against severe odds, the result of varied developments, including prolonged public protests in the town. The Shopian incident had given yet another handle to the separatists to get life paralysed in the Kashmir valley. While protesting against the incident peace seemed to hang by a slender thread. Fears mounted against eruption of violence on a large scale. However, the separatists tried to incite people to hold protest rallies but they were wise enough to prevent the situation from getting out of control. The Government, especially the police, had to face difficulties in dealing with the slogan shouting protesters who did not hesitate clashing with men in Khaki. The Jan committee report has indicted the district civil administration and the police. Inside reports said that Justice Jan has held the police and the civil authorities responsible for allowing the situation to drift after the two bodies of Asiya and Neelofar were found on May 30.The Commission has also blamed the civil and police authorities for having allowed a situation to grow in which it had become difficult to collect evidences. Had the officers initiated action right on the day when the bodies were found they could have zeroed in on the culprits. Instead the authorities misled the Chief Minister who had stated that Asiya and Neelofar had met an accidental death and they were not raped and murdered. Omar Abdullah had to eat a humble pie.He tried to cover his faux pas by ordering a judicial probe. Now that the Jan commission has indicted police and civil authorities the Government should have no qualms for taking stern action against those who are believed to have misled the Government on the incident and who inadvertently allowed evidences to be erased. Now that action has been taken against five officials it may dilute the level of anger against the Government. It would be appropriate if the Jan commission, in its final report, identifies the culprits. If that is not possible Justice Jan could shed some light. Since the Police has set up SIT the team needs to question Tom Dick and Hary so that the team members are able to resolve the mystery behind the death of the two women. The essence of the probe by SIT or by the Jan commission would be felt if either of the two teams are able to say it for certain wherther the women were raped and murdered by the security personnel or by the civilians.
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