Death of slain woman trigger protest, protesters allege murder, block Srinagar-Baramulla highway
Family demands swift probe by SIT and identification of killers
Inayat Qayoom
Baramulla: A 45-year-old woman who went missing on Thursday was found dead under mysterious circumstance in an orchard in Gutiyar village of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Family sources said that Fareeda Begum wife of Gulzar Ahmad Mir a resident of Gutiyar Baramulla went missing since yesterday morning when she had gone in her orchard to cut grass for cattle but she didn’t returned home till evening creating panic among family.
“The family members along with neighbours went to search her in the apple orchard but couldn’t trace her. Later, Police, Army and relatives of the woman joined the searching teams but till late night she couldn’t be traced despite drones were used by Army,” said a local Nisar Ahmad.
“On Friday morning, when hundreds of people resumed the search operation, her body was spotted in drain inside an apple orchard concealed under green grass. She had head injury and her face was drenched in blood,” added Nisar.
The mysterious death of the woman triggered protest in the area and later the body was rushed to Associate Hospital GMC Baramulla where autopsy was conducted.
Meanwhile, large number people including family members, neighbours, and relatives of the slain woman reached hospital and staged protest on Srinagar Baramulla highway. The protestors disrupted traffic on highway for hours.
“It is cold blood murder. We demand constitution Special Investigation Team (SIT) by police to identify the killers and provide justice to the family,” said a protestor.
Later protestors called off the protest and dispersed peacefully after top police officials assured them swift probe and in-depth investigation.
In this regard police has registered a case in police station Baramulla and investigation is going on. An official said that dead body of woman was handed over to family for last rites after legal and medical formalities.