Crime Branch takes over probe into murder of Mumbai woman in Jammu

The Jammu Crime Branch six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has taken over the probe into the murder of a Mumbai woman. The investigation follows the suspension of three police personnel for their alleged suspicious role in attempting to pass off the murder as an accident.

A Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)-rank officer will lead the investigation into the case, in which the woman was killed by an unidentified assailant in the Channi Himmat area.

The Crime Branch will also examine the conduct of three police officials—Inspector Deepak Pathania and Sub-Inspectors Wasim Bhatti and Rohit Sharma—who allegedly tried to misrepresent the murder as an accident.

Fatima Akil, sister of the deceased Mehjabeen Akil Sheikh, was also admitted to Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu with injuries and was discharged on Saturday. She has been questioned by the Crime Branch to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the murder and to identify the assailant, if possible.

In an earlier official statement, police said that on August 21, Channi Himmat police station received information from JK Medicity Hospital regarding the admission of three injured persons.

“An Investigation Officer (IO) was deputed. Upon inquiry, hospital authorities informed that the injuries resulted from an accident on the Ring Road, and the doctors had declared the injured unfit for statement. Subsequently, the injured left against medical advice and were admitted to another hospital before being transferred to GMC Jammu without the knowledge of Channi Police. Unfortunately, the victim succumbed to injuries on August 29,” the statement read.

On August 29, the mother of the deceased approached the District Magistrate’s office in Jammu seeking exemption from the postmortem, which was denied after police were informed.

The postmortem of the deceased was conducted on August 31 by a medical board.

Further investigation revealed the use of a firearm, which caused the injuries leading to the victim’s death. Consequently, the inquest proceedings were converted into a murder case under Sections 103(1)/109/332(b) BNS and 3/25 Arms Act at Channi Himmat police station.