SHOPIAN: Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) – a conglomerate of separatist outfits – has called for shutdown in Shopian district on Tuesday against the rape-and-murder of Asiya and Neelofar.
“Remembering the gruesome incident of double rape, the JRL said that Asiya and Nilofer were abducted, gang-raped and then mercilessly killed by brutal forces,” said the JRL comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and Yasin Malik, in a statement.
“In remembrance of the double murder and rape case of Asiya and Nilofer a shutdown has been called on 29 May in the district,” said the JRL.
The leadership alleged that those involved in the crime were rewarded.
They also demanded an impartial investigation by some independent institution into all the gang rape incidents in Jammu & Kashmir.
In 2009, massive protests rocked Shopian district over the death of Neelofar, 22, and her sister-in-law Asiya, 17, after residents alleged they had been raped and murdered by the government forces.
The CBI attributed the cause of Asiya’s death to “asphyxia as a result of ante-mortem drowning” in a stream and said the injuries on her head were “simple in nature, not sufficient to cause death”.
In the case of Neelofar, the charge sheet said there were “no ante-mortem injuries” and death was a result of drowning by “asphyxia”.