Victims Husband, Father, Brother Charge-Sheeted As Case Takes New Turn
Observer News Service
SRINAGAR: Seven persons, including the husband, father and brother of a newly-wed Lolab bride murdered nine months ago have been charge-sheeted in Kupwara in what the police say is a case of honour killing.
Ameera Shah of Shath Maqam was killed by narcotics and injections under a conspiracy on February 16, just two days after being married against her will with the help of two witnesses testifying falsely before the Qazi that she had given her consent, the Kupwara police said.
According to the police charge-sheet, Ameera is said to have tied the knot secretly on October 15 last year with one Waqar Ahmad Khan of Chaipura with whom she was in love, but her parents forcibly sent her to the home of Naseer Ahmad Shah in Malgund as his bride this year.
The marriage was arranged in haste within two days by her family when Ameera sought shelter on February 12 this year with Khans brother-in-law who sent her back, the police said.
Earlier, Khan is said to have sent several proposals to Ameeras family for her hand, but they rejected it because of being high-caste peers
Ameeras in-laws had pinned the murder on Khan who spent nearly nine months in jail along with several associates, and was released recently on bail when the case took a new turn, the police said.
Forensic reports had shown that the victim had been killed by poisoning and not by hanging by Khan as her in-laws had claimed, it said.
After several months of investigation headed by deputy superintendent of police Sajjad Khaliq Bhat, authorities told the court that Ameera had resisted the marriage even when sent to her supposed in-laws literally under captivity with three family friends to keep an eye on her.
Khan had immediately approached a Sogam court to reclaim his love, but failed, and then went to the Khirhama police post on February 16 to file a case.
But when Naseer and his family came to know that Khan was armed with a warrant to recover his wife, they hatched a conspiracy, feeding Ameera drugs and then administering a poisonous injection, the police charge-sheet says.
A police team from Khirhama arrived too late at the Shah residence. The bride was already dead.
According to the police, Ameeras in-laws are said to have made a huge show of grief on seeing the police, and accused Khan, who was arrested.
Subsequent investigations showed that neither Khan nor any of his family and friends had been anywhere near the Shahs house on the day of Ameera’s death, the police charge sheet says.
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