KL Report
SRINAGAR
The last witness to the Tabinda Gani murder and rape case admitted before the Session Court Kupwara that the four accused held for raping and murdering 8th class student were paraded before the eyewitnesses under his command and the people including a minor during the parade clearly identified the culprits and he is witness to such act.
According to CNS, the last (86th) witness to Tabinda Gani rape and murder case, then Naib Tehsildar Langete, presently Tehsildar Abdul Rashid Shah continuously appeared before the session court for the fifth time and during his last turn, he confirmed to the court all the accused in the case were properly identified by the witnesses during a parade.
“As Naib Tehsildar in 2007 when this unfortunate incident occurred, I called many suspects and during parade the key witnesses including a minor identified four accused including two non-state subjects,” he informed the court and identified the culprits as Sadiq Mir alias Sadiq Choor, Azhar Mir alias Bilal both residents of Langete, Jehangir Ansari of West Bengal (carpenter by profession) and Suresh Mochi (a cobbler).
During the hearing when the judge told the accused that they can also present their witnesses before the court, all the accused with their head down said they don’t have any witness.
The Court is expected to deliver its judgment within a month’s time. “The judgment is hardly a month or more away now. The court has recorded the statements of all the 86 witnesses,” public prosecutor Ghulam Muhammad Shah said.
Meanwhile, the uncle of the victim, Muhammad Iqbal Shah said that whole locality want these rapist to be hanged. “From seven years, we have been waiting for the justice and punishment to the culprits,” he said.
Tabinda, then a student of 8th class, was found dead in an orchard in Langate area in July 20, 2007 after her abduction. Medical reports had confirmed that the abductors had raped her before slitting her throat.
Following the incident, Kashmir witnessed massive street protests with people demanded punishment to the culprits. Police later arrested four accused including two non-locals and residents of Langate and filed a challan against them. The accused confessed to the crime. But the family is awaiting justice as on date.
