Death of housewife
Parents, locals accuse police of cover up
Mir TariqBandipora, July 18: After demanding exhumation of Shafiqa's body, the parents of the victim on Friday alleged police of shielding the accused, Ghulam Muhammad Chopan.The parents and relatives of the victim Shafiqa Begum, who was mysteriously found dead at her residence in Phalipora Arin on Wednesday night said police was not listening to them although they had staged protest demonstrations to highlight their problem.Talking to Rising Kashmir, the victims’ mother Khotnie Begum said, "Shafiqa come to parents' home for inquiring the health condition of her father who has weak eye sight. When we attend her last rites after death, we found injuries in her body which indicate that she was forcibly poisoned or beaten to death.”Wailing over the death of her daughter, Begum said, “Police has received the bribe from the accused. So the SHO Bandipora is avoiding we people but we will approach the higher authorities for justice.""They (in- laws) have buried the victim in a hurry in the corner of a wall to hide the heinous crime," locals said.The victim’s relatives said that Shaifqa had strained relations with her husband and in-laws."Her relations with her husband Ghulam Muhammad Chopan were not good. Her husband didn’t even allow her to visit her parents and sisters," said Ghulam Qadir, the victim’s relative. "Police is trying to hide the case as we are poor. Why isn’t the SHO allowing the exhumation of the body.”Raising slogans against SHO Bandipora, locals said, "For the past two days, we are approaching the SHO Bandipora for taking necessary action against the victim but he is avoiding us."Questioning the medical report, the locals said, "If the victim consumed poison then why injury marks are visible on her body. The case should be properly investigated."The relatives of the victim are demanding immediate exhumation of the body and action against the police officers who are shielding the accused.Senior Superintend of Police Bandipora Sheikh Junaid Ahmed said, "We are ascertaining the cause of the death. In the coming days we will come up with the factual position. We have written to the Additional Deputy Commissioner for the permission of exhumation of the body. After we get the permission we will exhume the body."