Two more policemen arrested in Asifa rape and murder case for destroying evidence

Srinagar, Mar 08 (KNB): The Kathua minor girl Asifa rape and murder case on Thursday took a new turn after two more policemen were arrested by the Crime Branch for destroying crucial evidences, with these arrests the toll of arrested policemen mounts to four. As one of the main accused of crime Deepak Khajuria and Surinder Verma both Special Police Officers have already been put behind the bars along with two more persons, including a juvenile.

According to sources Jammu and Kashmir police’s crime branch wing has arrested a police sub-inspector and a head constable for their involvement in destruction of crucial evidence. Hawaldar Tilak Raj, posted at the Hiranagar police station, was arrested after it was prima facie established that he had washed Asifa’s clothes that were soaked in blood and mud before sending them for forensic test. Sub-inspector Anand Dutta, who was the investigative officer, has been detained for questioning.
Last month a rally was taken out by the Hindu Ekta Manch in Jammu, demanding the release of Special Police Officer Deepak Khajuria, who was arrested last week in connection with the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua district in January. The protestors raised Indian national flags in demonstration.



Pertinently, besides other socio-political organizations the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising of Syed Ali Geelani Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik on Thursday staged protest against the rape and murder of eight-yrs-old Kathua minor girl Asifa and demanded capital punishment for the accused policeman Deepak Khajuria.
Following the strong resentment by several socio-political parties over the participation of Senior Cabinet Ministers of the PDP-BJP Government in the Hindu Ekta Manch ‘communal’ event in wake of the 8-yrs-old girl Asifa rape and murder case, the state minister Syed Altaf Bukhari on Saturday said that the investigations into Kathua case is being investigated in a very professional manner and would be brought to its logical end very soon.
Asifa was kidnapped from Rasana village on January 10. According to investigations, she was drugged and held captive for a week before being murdered. (KNB)