Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Aug 4: Police in Baramulla today said to have solved a murder case in which a man from Khawajabagh area Baramulla was killed by a rival for extracting sand from river Jhelum.
In this regard, the police said that on July 31, one lady namely Fahmeeda Begum wife of Aijaz Ahmad Pandith of Khawajabagh lodged a complaint in PS Baramulla that her husband namely Aijaz Ahmad Pandith alias Bilal son of Mohd Ismail of Khawajabagh went to the bank of river Jhelum for sand extraction along with one local namely Firdous Ahmad Ganie of Khawajabagh.
“However at about 0100hrs mother of Firdous Ganie reached the house of the applicant and informed her that Bilal and Firdous who had crossed river Jhelum to Chakloo side have been attacked by some residents of Chakloo,” police said.
In the attack, police said, Bilal has probably been taken away by the attackers while Firdous managed to escape and reached home and on this, a case FIR No.175/21 U/S 364 IPC was registered and the investigation was taken up.
During the investigation, the survivor namely Firdous Ganie was interrogated and he stated, police said, that during the intervening night of 30/31 July 2021 at around 0000 hrs he along with deceased Aijaz Ahmad Pandith while extracting sand from river Jhelum near Chakloo were attacked by residents of Chakloo (04 in number) from among whom the survivor identified two attackers as Bashir Ahmad Wani S/o Ahad Wani and Mudasir Ahmad Sheikh S/o Gh Hassan both residents of Chakloo Baramulla.
“The statement of the witness was substantiated during the investigation of the suspects and other evidence. Accordingly the alleged accused were arrested on 02/08/2021,” police said.
Police said that the accused confessed to the crime and stated that the deceased namely Aijaz Pandith alias Bilal son of Mohd Ismail Pandith and the survivor Firdous Ganie son of Gh Nabi Ganie of Khawajabagh used to take away sand from Chakloo side of river Jhelum.
“…On the fateful night, the accused along with two other accused namely Fayaz Ahmad Shah son of Ab Ahad Shah of Banyari Hajin Sumbal, District Bandipora and Basit Aziz Payar son of Ab Aziz Payar of Chera Koot Sogam, District Kupwara laid an ambush near the place of occurrence and when the deceased along with survivor started extracting the sand the accused pounced upon the deceased and the survivor and took the deceased with them while as the survivor jumped into the river,” police said.
“The weapon of offence stands recovered on the disclosure and identification of accused. The dead body of the deceased was recovered from river Jhelum near Khanpora Bridge on 02/08/2021 after strenuous searches and efforts of police, SDRF & Marcos,” police said.
After fulfilling legal formalities, the police said, the dead body was handed over to the family for last rites while as all the four accused stand arrested.
Follow our WhatsApp channel