Boniyar, Sep 04: Two days after body of a missing nine-year-old girl of Trikajan was found in forest area of Boniyar Uri, police today claimed to have cracked the murder mystery by arresting five people including the victim’s step-mother, step-brother, and three other accused for gang raping the slain minor and then axing her to death before spraying acid on her body.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mir Imtiyaz Hussain while addressing media at Boniyar said an FIR was registered after a written complaint from the girl’s father Mushtaq Ahmad Ganai (of Lari, Trikanjan, Uri) on August 24 in which he stated that he feared his nine-year-old daughter has been abducted.
SSP told media that during the course of investigation, the statement of the father of the girl was recorded and it was found that he has two wives – Fahmeeda from Trikanjan village, and another Khushboo, who is a non-local from the state of Jharkhand. “The missing girl was daughter of Khushboo from Jharkhand.”
Police said that the body of the missing girl was found in a decomposed state on September 02 in a forest area barely one kilometer from her home.
“From the examination of scene of crime and circumstances thereof, it appeared to be the case of murder and accordingly investigation was set into motion in this direction,” Mir said.
A special investigation team (SIT) headed by SDPO Uri was constituted to investigate the murder. SIT interrogated the suspects and during sustained questioning of the step-mother of the deceased and other suspects a bone-chilling and horrible account of murder and rape of 09 year-old-child came to light, police said.
“It was found that the step-mother – Fahmeeda — had been nourishing a long-standing grudge against the non-local wife of her husband and her children as she has the perception that her husband was more inclined and affectionate towards his second wife (Khushboo) and the children born of her than her (Fahmeeda) and her children.
“During questioning, she also revealed that her husband would mostly spend time with his second wife Khushboo and his deceased daughter was dearest of him among all children. The acrimonious atmosphere, primarily for the reason of second marriage of Mushtaq had been building up in the family over a period of time.”
Fahmeeda, according to the police, hence hatched a conspiracy to eliminate her step-daughter.
“On the fateful day, she took her step-daughter to the nearby jungle and was armed with a sharp-edged knife. While she was on way to forests with her step-daughter, she signaled her son Sahil (step-brother of deceased from the same father) aged about 14 years to be ready for commission of the crime. Sahil later on joined his mother in forest area along with two of his friends – 19-years-old Kaiser Ahmad, son of Sikander Mir, and 14 years-old Aadil Ahmad, son of Bashir Ahmad, both residents of Trikanjan Boniyar. One more accused, 28-years-old Naseer Ahmad Khan alias Guddo, son of Sher Zaman Khan of Lari, Trikanjan, also joined in the commission of crime.”
According to the police, the girl was gang-raped by the accused in presence and at the instance of her step-mother.
“It was Kaiser who first raped her and then all others including Sahil, her step-brother, took turns to rape the girl. Thereafter, Fahmeeda strangulated the girl and Sahil hit her head with axe, killing her on the spot. After that one of the accused Adil went back to his home and brought acid from there in a plastic bottle. Adil’s household stores the acid for maintenance of the battery of TATA Sumo vehicle possessed by them,” police revealed.
“While Fahmeeda strangulated her, Sahil hit her head with axe and Kaiser gouged out her eyes with a sharp knife and then acid was sprinkled on her body parts. Physical condition and preliminary forensic analysis of dead body substantiated all these facts. Finally Kaiser and Naseer dumped the body in the bushes and covered it with twigs and branches of pine trees,” police said.
“All the material and weapons of offence including axe and knife have been recovered at the instance of the accused. Also the plastic can containing the acid has been recovered. All the accused have been arrested. The case will be soon charge-sheeted for judicial determination,” police said.
