[Reader-list] Shopian Rape - A family Fued

Aditya Raj Kaul kauladityaraj at gmail.com
Sun Jul 12 18:10:15 IST 2009 

Shopian rape, murders a family feud?*M Saleem Pandit , 12 July 2009
The Times of India

Link -
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS-India-Shopian-rape-murders-a-family-feud/articleshow/4768680.cms
*
SRINAGAR: The one-man panel appointed by the J&K government to probe the
rape and murder of two women in Shopian appears to have gone soft on

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security forces accused of the crimes and has instead said that the killings
could be a result of a family feud. It said that the victims' brothers could
be suspects.

Pointing out that the conclusive evidence to identify the culprits has not
been furnished because of various constraints, the panel said the
involvement of some agency of the J&K police, in the present incident,
cannot be completely ruled out.

Bodies of Neelofer (22) and her sister-in-law Asiya (17) were recovered from
a stream on May 30 after they disappeared from their orchards in Shopian
town the previous evening, sparking off massive protest by locals who
suspected the hand of security personnel in the case.

In the face of public outcry across the Valley, the state government had on
June 3 appointed a commission headed by Justice Muzaffar Ahmad Jan to
investigate the circumstances leading to the deaths.

Although the panel in its final 400-page report submitted to the government
last Tuesday has called for more investigation into the role of security
forces personnel, it has also brought out new ‘‘facts'' of the case. It has
cast doubts on the moral character of one of the victims, Neelofer Jan, and
her husband Shakeel Ahmad Ahanger, brother of second victim Asiya Jan.

It said Neelofer Jan belonged to a higher caste of Peer, whereas Shakeel
came from Khaar family, which is included in the OBC category. The report
said ever since the two eloped in 2007, Neelofer's brother Syed Zeerak Shah,
a constable in traffic department, was not happy with the marriage and had
even threatened the Ahanger family of dire consequences. ‘‘The conduct of
Zeerak Shah has been highly suspicious and objectionable after the death of
Neelofar and Asiya Jan,'' the commission said.

Zeerak is also accused of having instigated the people against the
government. ‘‘A departmental action may be initiated against Shah,'' the
panel said. It also has said there was clear indication suggesting enmity
between Neelofar's maiden family and her in-laws.

‘‘Shakeel Ahanger does not carry a good reputation in the society and is
being known for his immoral activities. His assets are quite
disproportionate to his known sources of income, requiring investigation to
work out the possibility of Shakeel and his friends/associates' role in the
present incident,'' the report said.

During the probe, the commission found that after eloping with Neelofar,
Ahanger had moved out of the district. He, however, returned and started his
own business in readymade furniture and got separated from his family.

‘‘Despite the fact that he was taking care of education and other expenses
of two sisters, Roomi and Asiya, and was meeting additional expenditure
after the birth of his child, he purchased orchards and even a car,'' the
report pointed out.

Doubting the character of Neelofer, Justice Jan said she had ‘‘developed
contacts'' at an orchard in Nagabal, Shopian. ‘‘The examination of the
witnesses has suggested that Neelofer, Roomi and Asyia Jan were frequent
visitors to an orchard at Nagabal. During her visits in the last few months,
Neelofar might have developed relations with other persons and Shakeel might
have come to know about her relations,'' the report said.

The panel, going beyond its terms of reference, has also criticized the role
of the media in provoking people's sentiments and called for ‘‘firm
guidelines for reporting such news''.












On Sun, Jul 12, 2009 at 6:04 PM, anupam chakravartty <c.anupam at gmail.com>wrote:

> there is a HT report also attached to it. kindly have a look. im surprised
> this is so-called seperatist paper is functioning in india with legitimate
> quotes from the someone who is part of the commission.
>


>
>
>

> On 7/12/09, Aditya Raj Kaul <kauladityaraj at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > One would anyday trust a report by PTI and The Times of India or The
> Hindu
> > rather than a report by local separatist run newspaper The Rising Kashmir
> > which has obvious bias and planted news.
> >
> > Period
> >
> > On Sun, Jul 12, 2009 at 2:40 PM, anupam chakravartty <c.anupam at gmail.com
> > >wrote:
> >
> > > Jan Comn disowns part of report
> > > http://www.risingkashmir.com/?option=com_content&task=view&id=14798
> > >  Says Kashmir Police insisted to add Shakeel’s profile
> > > *Ishfaq Mir
> > > Srinagar, July 11: *The Justice (Retired) Jan Commission, which
> submitted
> > > its final report on rape and murder of two women in Shopian to
> government
> > > Saturday denied making any recommendations against the family members
> of
> > > the
> > > victims.
> > > The Commission said it has been wrongly interpreted and report about
> > > deceased Neelofer’s husband Shakeel Ahmad Ahanger is not from the
> > > Commission
> > > itself. “The impression about the two families especially Shakeel Ahmad
> > > Ahanger given in the print and electronic media attributing the remarks
> > to
> > > the Commission is not correct,” clarified Secretary Justice Jan
> > Commission,
> > > Mukhtar Ahmad Wani.
> > > He said, “In the entire report no observation has been made against any
> > > member of the victim families by the Commission. Nothing has been said
> > > about
> > > any family members. This was not the point of reference for the
> > Commission,
> > > so why should the Commission do it”.
> > > While clarifying he said, “The suspicions were projected before the
> > > Commission by the police investigating team. But they were not even
> > > considered or acted upon by the Commission and have been wrongly
> > attributed
> > > as observations of the Commission”.
> > > He said police investigation had traced the details of at least 5000
> > calls
> > > and recorded the statements of more than 30 witnesses. So they wanted
> the
> > > investigation to be part of the report, but Commission refused to act
> > upon
> > > it or even consider it. Later the police ‘findings’ were enclosed in
> the
> > > report but neither as part nor as recommendation.
> > > “The government passed the entire information of the report to the
> media
> > > persons, causing confusion,” added Wani.
> > > Meanwhile, the Commission has taken up the matter with the government
> and
> > > sought its clarification.
> > >
> > > EOM
> > >
> > >
> > > On 7/12/09, anupam chakravartty <c.anupam at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=HomePage&id=96212f27-b2ee-4e19-b92a-f773c3ec6be9&Headline='Shopian+report+character+assassination<http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=HomePage&id=96212f27-b2ee-4e19-b92a-f773c3ec6be9&Headline=%27Shopian+report+character+assassination>
> > <
> >
> http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=HomePage&id=96212f27-b2ee-4e19-b92a-f773c3ec6be9&Headline=%27Shopian+report+character+assassination
> > >
> > > '
> > > >
> > > > The relatives of the two women found raped and murdered in Kashmir's
> > > > Shopian town have rejected the judicial commission report which,
> while
> > > > indicting local police officials for destruction of evidence, also
> > sought
> > > > investigation of the role of some family members.
> > > >
> > > > Relatives of Nilofar Jan, 22, and her sister-in-law Asiya Jan, 17,
> > termed
> > > > the one-man Justice (retired) Muzaffar Jan commission report --
> > released
> > > to
> > > > public Friday -- as "character assassination" for seeking a thorough
> > > > investigation into the character and possible involvement of
> Nilofar's
> > > > husband and brother-in-law in the incident.
> > > >
> > > > The relatives of the victims have also threatened to proceed against
> > > > Justice Jan.
> > > >
> > > > The Shopian agitation committee, formed in the wake of the crime, has
> > > also
> > > > rejected the probe findings, terming it as "a cover up operation".
> > > >
> > > > Meanwhile, the Kashmir Bar Association has termed the Justice Jan
> > > > commission's report as a "kitchen report".
> > > >
> > > > In a statement, local bar association president Mian Qayoom said the
> > > > commission had commented on the character of the relatives of the
> > victims
> > > > which was not included in the commission's terms of reference.
> > > >
> > > > "It has not identified the culprits," he said.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On 7/12/09, Pawan Durani <pawan.durani at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >> I hope that all those in this group who pointedly blamed security
> > > >> forces need to hang their head in shame.
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> "Doubting the character of Neelofer, Justice Jan said she had
> > > >> ‘‘developed contacts'' at an orchard in Nagabal, Shopian. ‘‘The
> > > >> examination of the witnesses has suggested that Neelofer, Roomi and
> > > >> Asyia Jan were frequent visitors to an orchard at Nagabal. During
> her
> > > >> visits in the last few months, Neelofar might have developed
> relations
> > > >> with other persons and Shakeel might have come to know about her
> > > >> relations,'' the report said. "
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > >
> >
> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS-India-Shopian-rape-murders-a-family-feud/articleshow/4768680.cms
> > > >> _________________________________________
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> > --
> > Aditya Raj Kaul
> >
> > Freelance Correspondent, The Times of India
> > Cell -  +91-9873297834
> >
> > Blog: http://activistsdiary.blogspot.com/
> > _________________________________________
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