SIT, FSL team visits Bhaderwah, probe begins; curfew continues for 3rd straight day

Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

Bhaderwah, May 18 (KNO): Two days after the killing of a business man in Bhaderwah town of Chenab Valley, curfew continued to remain imposed for the third consecutive day on Saturday. However, the situation is limping towards normalcy despite protests on Thursday. SSP Doda Shabir Ahmed Malik told KNO that situation was peaceful in the area. However, the internet remained suspended in Bhaderwah and other sensitive areas of the Chenab Valley. Meanwhile, a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted Saturday to probe the death of a person in firing here, which triggered violent protests, forcing authorities to impose an indefinite curfew in the town. The Doda district administration had refuted reports that "cow vigilantism" was the reason behind the killing of Nayeem Shah.  The administration claimed that some people were trying to give communal colour to the incident to flare up the situation. "A five-member SIT headed by Superintendent of Police Bhaderwah, Raj Singh Gouria has been constituted to probe the killing of Shah," an official told KNO. Senior Superintendent of Police, Doda, Shabir Ahmad Malik along with other members of the SIT and a team of Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) visited the spot of the incident at Kachi Nalthi village and collected fresh evidence. "We are at the scene as part of the investigation after the setting up of the SIT although the probe of the case has already started soon after the incident," Gouria told KNO.  He said a 12-bore gun which is believed to have been used in the killing was seized and sent to FSL Jammu for examination. "Eight persons have been arrested in connection with the killing so far," he told KNO. The Army along with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Police are deployed in strength in the town especially in the sensitive localities to maintain law and order, officials told KNO.  However, no one from the administration or state government visited the house of the affected victim family so far. (KNO)