Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Baramulla Police on Tuesday announced the arrest of two men accused of gang raping a young woman and recording the assault on video, following what officials described as a sustained investigation combining technical evidence with human intelligence gathering.
Addressing a press conference, the Senior Superintendent of Police said the survivor had approached Police Station Baramulla on July 25 to report that she and a male friend were intercepted by two men while at Jalsheeri Drangbal. According to the police account, the accused allegedly harassed the pair, physically assaulted them, and sexually assaulted the woman, later recording footage of the assault and showing it to others, an aggravating detail that significantly shaped the urgency of the ensuing investigation.
Investigators initially faced a considerable challenge because the survivor knew the accused only by their first names, leaving limited immediate leads to work with. However, police said the combination of technical evidence, likely including digital and call data analysis, alongside human intelligence sources helped identify the suspects, leading to their arrest on Monday.
The accused have been identified as Shakir Ahmed Lone and Mohammed Ashraf, both residents of Jalsheeri who work as drivers. Police noted that Ashraf, aged 27, is married, details typically disclosed to establish the accused persons’ background as the case moves toward formal prosecution. Both men are currently in police custody as the investigation continues.
The Senior Superintendent emphasised that the probe is being conducted in a fair, impartial and time bound manner in accordance with the law, language intended to reassure both the survivor and the wider public that due process will be followed notwithstanding the sensitive and serious nature of the allegations. Cases involving sexual assault, particularly those compounded by allegations of recording and circulating footage, tend to draw heightened public and administrative scrutiny, and police forces across Jammu and Kashmir have in recent years faced increasing pressure to demonstrate swift, thorough responses to such complaints.
The successful identification of suspects despite the survivor’s limited information about the accused highlights the growing role that digital forensics and coordinated intelligence gathering play in contemporary policing, even in cases where traditional witness testimony offers few immediate leads. Further legal proceedings, including chargesheet filing, are expected to follow as investigators continue building the case against the two accused.
