Key accused in murder of college student held

Jammu, March 14

The police in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district on Tuesday claimed to have arrested the main accused in the murder of a woman student whose body was recovered under mysterious circumstances in Punjab last year.

The body of a 20-year-old college student, a resident of Sumb village, was recovered from a railway track at Sarmalla in Ludhiana on August 21, sparking massive protests by the locals. She had gone missing on August 20 after attending her college.

“Police have arrested the main accused after registering a case under relevant sections of law in the alleged abduction and murder of the girl. Further investigation is on,” a police official said.

On March 1, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Samba had directed the SSP, Samba to depute a senior officer to conduct preliminary enquiry after the victim’s father approached the court for investigation into the case.

Complying with the court directions, Samba SSP Benam Tosh deputed Deputy Superintendent of Police, Headquarters, Usman Choudhary to Sumb village where he conducted preliminary enquiry, recorded statements, thoroughly examined call details, discretely elicited information and submitted report with the conclusion that the matter was cognisable and warranted registration of an FIR under law, the official said.

Upon this, the Chief Judicial Magistrate passed directions to the police to register the FIR under relevant sections of law, he said.