CBI’s Shopian report triggers violence in Srinagar, shutdown in Kashmir valley - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Violence rocked Srinagar and a shutdown was observed across Kashmir on Tuesday in protest of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) report on the rape and murder of two Muslim women in Shopian town in May last. The CBI in its report, submitted to the court, has ruled out rape and murder. It has stated that the cause of death of the two women was drowning instead of rape and murder. However, CBI had filed charge sheet against 13 people for allegedly "fabricating" evidence in the aftermath of recovery of women's bodies. A shutdown was observed on Tuesday on the call of Majlis-e-Mushawarat Shopian, which was supported by both the factions of Hurriyat Conference, the separatist outfit. Police resorted to use tear gas and also opened fire to disperse the crowd after some locals clashed with the police and two houses were also gutted. Meanwhile, the Separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has condemned the CBI report in the Shopian case. "Indian agencies have been disappointing us at every stage. They have never given us justice. It is (futile) to expect justice from CBI and think that they would identify the culprits and take action against them. I can say it without fear of any contradiction that the police, the CRPF and the army, all the three are involved in the rape and murder of the two women in Shopian," said Syed Ali Shah Geelani. Widespread protests were witnessed Kashmir valley when the bodies of the two Muslim women, Nilofer Jan and her relation Asiya Jan, were found on May 29 in Shopian town, 60 km south of Srinagar . Four police officers were arrested in connection with the case, which was later handed over to the CBI in September 2009. The family of the victims have dissociated themselves from the case and said that the CBI has not conducted an impartial report. They have also claimed that the doctors, who carried out the post-mortem operations on the bodies, were under-qualified.