KL Report
SRINAGAR
Residents of Seelu in north Kashmir’s Sopore town Monday staged protest against the Sopore police officials’ alleged role to “force” the family to “change the statement” for “saving the skin” of the culprits of “Sopore double murder case” which took place last month.
On June 20 last month, two cousin of Sopore’s Naikoo family fell to the bullets after a “land dispute” broke out in their family.
While narrating the incident, Muhammad Sultan Naikoo, the brother of one of the slain man told Kashmir Life: “The killing was executed over the land issue. The land belongs to us. But Ghulam Nabi Naikoo and his wife Saleema Baigum claimed the ownership of the same land through forged documents. The culprits had managed to transfer total 9 acres of the land.”
Once the ‘fraud over land grab’ surfaced, the family of deceased persons filed suit against the culprit in the Baramulla Sessions Court.
“After the first hearing, when we came out of court, the culprit Mehraj-u-din Khan alias Raj Khan (the family relative) threatened the family by saying: ‘Now, pray for yourself. You people won’t be able to attend the next hearing,’ ” Sultan said.
While further talking through the issue which finally culminated on murder, another family member, Tajamul Islam said that before the first hearing in the court, the main land ‘fraudulent’ Ghulam Nabi Naikoo came with 30 to 40 men and barged in the house and beat inmates irrespective of their gender and age. “Many family members suffered severe injuries in that vicious attack,” Islam said.
Later the family lodged an FIR under section 307 in Sopore Police Station: “I also suffered and was shifted to Soura Hospital, where I was admitted for 29 days.”
But after seeking police help, the ‘assaulted’ family hadn’t hunch that the desperation for the land will culminate with murder. But their worst fears came true in the night of June 20, last month.
“That night we were all awake busy talking to each other,” Sultan said. “After sometime, Raj Khan along two other men in fatigues and masked face barged in house. They broke the doors, and entered the Kitchen. And in a mad rush, they started indiscriminate firing. As a result, Nazir Ahmad Naikoo died on the spot while other family members were left baldy injured. Nazir’s cousin Shabir, who was the witness in court was also severely injured and was referred to SMHS hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries the next day.”
The protesting family said that the district police authorities after few days of the incident registered a case vide FIR number 95/2014 U/S 302, 307 RPC and 7/27 Arms Act and had apprehended Raja Khan of Khan Mohalla, Mundji, Zangire Sopore from his house.
The male and female protesters said that police authorities during a press briefing had said that in the process of investigation it surfaced that the accused Mehraj-u-Din used the services of local HM militant Javaid Ahmad Matoo of Sopore town.
The protesters said that there was no role of local militant in the attack. “In an attempt to save the main accused Mehraj-u-Din police blamed local militant. My father himself saw and identified the accused and yet he was freed and no case was registered against him. When we contacted Investigating Officer of the case, he failed to justify the release of the main accused and even said: ‘Your protests can’t move the pillars of the system,’ ” the brother of the deceased said.
“Now, we want chief minister Omar Abdullah to intervene in our case,” he said.
