Shopian women drowned, says CBI

The worst fears of Majlis-e-Mashawarat (MM), spearheading the campaign for justice to Neelofar and Aasiya Jan of Shopian, came true on Monday when the CBI ruled out rape and murder and said the women died of drowning in Rambair Nallah (stream).

Submitting its 66-page investigation report before a division bench of the Jammu and Kashmir high court, the agency charged 13 people — 6 doctors, 5 Shopian lawyers, Aasiya’s brother and another civilian — under sections 167, 193, 194, 195 (A) of the RPC.

Rejecting the report, MM called for Kashmir bandh on Tuesday. Its president Abdul Rashid Dalal picked holes in the report, saying TD Dogra, head of the CBI-appointed team of doctors, had a tainted past and handed out copies of a newspaper report in support of his allegation.

Earlier, CBI counsel Anil Bhan told the court, “The soil and water of Rambair Nallah was found in the lungs of the women, which establishes death by drowning.”

The CBI charge sheet says Aasiya’s hymen was intact and therefore, rape is ruled out. “We are of the opinion that the cause of death in this case was asphyxia,” it says.
The charge sheet says no injuries were observed on Neelofar’s body “suggestive of struggle during rape or attempt to rape”.