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| Gold, not politics, behind PDP leader's murder | | Budgam Police cracks the mystery, mob torches houses of killers | | Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
SRINAGAR, Jan 24: Even as Budgam police has cracked the mystery of a PDP leader's murder within 48 hours and found that there was gold, not politics, behind the assassination, unruly crowds today staged protest demonstrations and torched the residential houses of the alleged and detained killers.
With a number of politicians, both from the opposition PDP and the ruling National Conference, condemning the murder of PDP's Vice President in Chadoura area, Police have solved the mystery of the death of 38-year-old goldsmith, Nazir Ahmad Dar S/o Abdul Gaffar Dar R/o Badipora, Chadoura, within 48 hours. Associated with PDP, Dar had disappeared during the night intervening January 21st and 22nd and his dead body, buried under a culvert in the same area, was recovered in the morning on January 23rd.
Tension had receded to some extent with the recovery of the dead body on Monday but Police were apprehending trouble by the opposition party around Republic Day ceremony on January 26th as Chadoura happens to be a stronghold of the PDP and the deceased activist happened to be a resident of the senior NC leader and Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather's village, Badipora. Rather and the PDP President Mehbooba Mufti were the first among politicians who condemned Dar's killing in mysterious circumstances and urged Police to identify the killers and get them arrested for prosecution.
SSP Budgam, Uttam Chand, told Early Times that Dar's family members approached Police Station Chadoura on January 22nd with the complaint that he had not returned from his shop during previous night. A missing report was lodged and search launched with recording of statements and questioning of all suspects. Dar was a goldsmith by profession and his shop at Chadoura was found locked. As a precautionary measure, Dar's family members opened the shop and the iron safe on January 22nd and shifted entire cash and the gold to their house.
During the course of investigation, Police developed suspicion about one Hilal Ahmad Itoo and Shabir Ahmad Lone, residents of Dalipora, and began their questioning. Around the same time on January 23rd morning, Dar's death body was recovered from a covered pit under a culvert in close vicinity of the village. People rushed to the spot and recovered the brutely mutilated body when dogs were digging the earth. Shabir Lone, who ha a criminal record, as well as Hilal Itoo, besides later's father, were immediately subjected to sustained interrogation.
During the questioning, the detainees revealed that Hilal and Shabir had planned Dar's murder and killed him in an attempt to steal entire quantity of gold from his shop. Hilal had earlier purchased some gold ornaments from Dar for Rs 84,000. He paid him Rs 50,000 and a post dated cheque of Rs 17,000. On the fateful evening, Dar was called and asked to collect remaining Rs 17,000 in cash from Hilal's house. Hilal's father even paid him the amount.
When Dar came out and began walking towards his home in the nearby Badipora village, Hilal and Shabir in ambush struck a crowbar on his head, killing him on spot. They later packed him in a gunny bag and dumped his dead body in a pit outside the village. During questioning, Hilal and Shabir helped Police to recover the weapon of assault, as well as the gunny bag used to carry the body. They revealed that after killing Dar, they took out his keys and kept these in custody of Shabir's mother. SSP Budgam said that she was still absconding but Police were hopeful to arrest her within a day or so.
SSP said that the missing report was converted into a murder case and case FIR No: FIR No. 10/2012 under section 302/ RPC was registered. He said that even as the PDP activist's murder had been cracked, investigation was still in progress and search was underway for others who were suspected to have one or the other culpability in this matter. He said that the killers had not stolen any money from Dar's body, perhaps to create an impression that he had not been murdered for money or gold. He said that entire amount of Rs 50,000 was recovered from the pocket of the slain person.
It was due to R-Day related night surveillance of Police and security forces that the killers failed to reach Chadoura town two nights after the murder to open the shop and loot the cash and the gold from the iron safe. SSP said that previously Hilal and Shabir had made some attempts, including capturing images of Dar's keys with a cellphone camera, to make duplicate keys and break into the shop but they did not succeed. SSP said that post mortem was conducted at District Hospital of Budgam and the matter would be challaned after receiving the report from doctors.
Even after the Police solved the blind murder case within 48 hours, residents of Badipora and adjoining villages converged on Dalipora and they set on fire residential houses of both the alleged killers. Police did not prevent them for fear of inviting more trouble. The crowds later converged on Chadoura and staged a protest demonstration. While demanding execution of the killers, they clashed with Police. While the demonstrators resorted to stone pelting and shouted slogans, Police forced them disperse with tearsmoke and baton charge. |
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