Jammu & Kashmir Police on Tuesday arrested a woman and her son for plotting murder and gangrape of her 9-year-old stepdaughter in Uri pocket of North Kashmir's Baramulla district.
Girl's father Mushtaq Ahmad Ganai, a resident of lari, Trikanjan village had filed a missing report last month suspecting she might have been abducted. Her mutilated body smeared with acid was found in a forested area on September 2.
During the course of investigation, police found that Ganai was married to two women, the younger one hailing from Jharkhand who was the murdered girl's mother while his first wife was from the same village.
Police found that his local wife suspected that he was biased against her and spent more time with his non local wife and daughter.
After the recovery of girl's body, police set up a special investigation team (SIT) only to unearth a bone chilling and horrible account of murder and rape of the child.
Police said the investigation revealed that said step mother Fahmeeda had been nourishing a long standing grudge against the non local wife of her husband and her children as she had the perception that her husband was more inclined and affectionate towards his second wife (Khushboo) and her children.
“During questioning she also revealed that her husband would mostly spend time with her 2nd wife and his deceased daughter was dearest of him among all children,” police said, adding that the acrimonious atmosphere, primarily for the reason of second marriage of Mushtaq had been building up in the family over a period of time.
“Fahmeeda hence hatched a conspiracy to eliminate her step daughter. On the fateful day she took her step daughter to the nearby jungle and was armed with a sharp edged knife. While she was on way to forests with her step daughter she signaled her son Sahil (step brother of deceased from the same father) aged about 14 years to be ready for commission of the crime,” police said.
Sahil later on joined her mother in forest area along with two of his friends namely Kaiser Ahmad, 19, and Aadil Ahmad,14, and a 28-year man Naseer Ahmad Khan.
“On reaching the spot, the girl was gang raped by the accused in presence and at the instance of her step mother. It was Kaiser who first raped her and then all others including Sahil her step brother took turns to rape the girl,” police said.
“Thereafter Fahmeeda strangulated the girl and Sahil hit her head with axe, killing her on spot.
After that one of the accused Adil went back his home and brought acid from there in a plastic bottle.
While Fahmeeda strangulated her, Sahil hit her head with axe and Kaiser gouged out her eyes with a sharp knife and then acid was sprinkled on her body parts, police said adding the physical condition and preliminary forensic analysis of dead body substantiated all these facts.
Kaiser and Naseer dumped the body in the bushes and covered it with twigs and branches of pine trees,” police said.
Police further added that all the material and weapons of offence including axe and knife have been recovered at the instance of the accused who have been arrested.