Baramulla, Jul 07: Police on Sunday claimed that a woman from Uri area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, who was found hanging, was murdered by her brother-in-law.
An official said that Shahida Begum, wife of Ghulam Mustafa Khatana, a resident of Julla Kalgi Uri was found hanging on June 29 at her residence.
“Suspect Qadeer Ahmad Khatana, son of Abdul Majeed of Julla Kalgi, Uri, who is also brother-in-law and cousin of the deceased woman, revealed during interrogation that the deceased woman did not actually commit suicide but was murdered by him,” SSP Baramulla Abdul Qayoom said while addressing a press conference in Baramulla.
He said that the suspect has also revealed that he was running an illicit relationship with the deceased for last one year.
“On the fateful night, the accused after having dinner entered in his bedroom room as usual along with his wife and kids. But when his wife and kids felt asleep, the accused slipped out and entered the room of his sister-in-law at midnight. But few minutes later they entered into a heated argument over their illicit relationship, during which Shahida threatened that she will reveal their illicit relationship to the family,” SSP said.
An investigation officer said that feeling insecure by Shahida’s threats and to avenge her father, whom he accused of having illicit relationship with his wife, Khatana put a scarf around Shahida’s neck and gradually pulled it while grabbing her underneath and killed her on the spot.
“He then hung the dead body in the room with a ceiling fan in order to fake her killing as suicide,” the officer added.
The police also said that husband of the deceased Shahida Begum has been working outside the state for last six to seven months and prior to that he was working in Srinagar.
Police had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising Station House Officer (SHO) Uri and two Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs) under supervision of SDPO Uri to unravel this murder case.
Police said that a case under relevant sections of law stands registered in Police Station Uri and further investigation in the matter is going-on.
