E-Paper
Budgam murder: People seek fast-track probe, trial as protests continue
Police have arrested 45-year-old Shabir Ahmad Wani for allegedly killing the woman, who was also a resident of Budgam, chopping her body into multiple pieces and disposing of them in various places in the district last week. Protests erupted in Budgam on Monday, a day after police reported the murder of the woman
Protests erupted in parts of central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Monday, a day after police reported the killing of a 30-year-old woman whose body was chopped into pieces allegedly by a man in central Kashmir’s Budgam district last week.
Police have arrested 45-year-old Shabir Ahmad Wani for allegedly killing the woman, who was also a resident of Budgam, chopping her body into multiple pieces and disposing of them in various places in the district last week. The woman had gone missing after she left her home on March 7 for her computer training class.
The incident triggered protests in central Kashmir for the second day with people shouting slogans “we want justice” and “hang the killer”. A protest rally was also held in Ompora, Budgam, where Wani lived.
“Since the body which was cut into pieces was recovered on Wani’s disclosure from his house, he is the killer. We request the LG administration to fast-track the investigation and trial of the case within one month. And the killer should get nothing less than death by hanging,” said Aijaz Ahmad Khan, a local living close to the victim’s house.
“We have decided under the banner of the Markazi Awkaf Committee that we will fight this case. We want the man to face trial on the fast-track so that our daughters and sisters remain safe from such criminals,” he said.
The accused, Shabir Ahmad Wani, who did mason work in the victim’s house last year, allegedly killed the woman for rejecting a proposal to marry one of his relatives last year. While some of her relatives suspect she was sexually assaulted, police are yet to ascertain the same. The deceased, who had completed MA, BEd and was pursuing a computer course, was engaged and was scheduled to get married in August.
The protest in Ompora was attended by scores of men and women.
“We want to hang him at Lal Chowk. We don’t want such people among us. Why is the government not taking action as such incidents have started happening increasingly. Today it happened with one daughter; tomorrow it can happen with ours as well. We want an example out of him,” a protesting woman said.
A neighbour of Wani said that they never imagined him to do such an act. “ He lives in our locality. We never thought he would be such a person. It was a shock for us all. Now whom shall we trust. We want a death sentence handed over to him,” he said.
Another woman protester, Shameema said that people must come together to ensure capital punishment for him.
“This should not be repeated again. All of us have daughters. This should not repeat at any cost. Parents must introspect and seek answers from their children, including boys,” she said.
On Sunday, Budgam senior superintendent of police (SSP) Tahir Gilani said the woman’s head was recovered from the accused’s house. “The main body was recovered from Sebdan Bridge. The limbs were recovered from a tank near his house,” he told reporters.
“The probe is at an early stage. I cannot discuss the motive here. We have recovered the weapon of offense which is a knife. The post-mortem is done and viscera have been sent to the FSL. We are waiting for reports,” he added.
A candlelight march was held by youth in the evening against Budgam woman’s murder in Soibug area of the district.
