All four accused convicted in Langate rape, murder case

Amin Masoodi

Kupwara, April 18

The Sessions Court, Kupwara, today convicted all the four accused in the Tabinda-Gani rape and murder case nearly eight years after the heinous crime was committed in the Langate area of frontier Kupwara district.

Sessions Judge Mohammad Ibrahim Wani is likely to pronounce the sentence in the case on April 23.

The court found all the four accused persons Sadiq Mir, alias Saeda Choor, Azhar Ahmad Mir, alias Billa (both residents of Langate), Mochi Jahangir of West Bengal and Suresh Kumar of Rajasthan guilty of rape and murder.

The accused had been under detention since August 2007.

“The accused were found guilty of gang raping and murdering the minor girl with common intention. The court will pronounce quantum of punishment on April 23,” said Public Prosecutor Ghulam Mohammad Shah.

Relatives of the victim expressed satisfaction over the conviction. “Relentless struggle for justice for the past over seven years has finally been vindicated today. I am hopeful the court will pronounce death sentence to all the four accused for committing the unpardonable crime,” said Mohammad Iqbal Shah, victim’s uncle.

“We acknowledge the commendable job the police did in nabbing the accused and making a strong case against them under the supervision of the then SP, Handwara, Dr Haseeb Mughul,” he added.

The accused were represented by advocate Abdul Rashid Mirchal.

The court has already completed recording of the statements of all 86 witnesses which took nearly seven years.

The victim, a class VIII student, was found dead in an orchard in the Langate area on July 20, 2007, after her abduction. Medical reports had confirmed that the abductors had raped her before slitting her throat.

Following the incident, massive protests had rocked Kashmir with people demanding capital punishment for the culprits.

The police later arrested four accused including two non-locals. The accused confessed to the crime during interrogation.