STATE TIMES NEWS
Srinagar: A police constable, who went missing from north Kashmir’s Kupwara district last month, was murdered allegedly by his colleague as a revenge for sodomizing him, the police said on Thursday.
Constable Sameer Ji Kumar, who went missing on May 14, was killed by SPO Aijaz Ahmad after Kumar resorted to an unnatural sexual act with Ahmad, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Central Kashmir range, Ghulam Hassan Bhat, told reporters here.
Bhat said initially the SPO had told the police that Kumar had jumped into river Puhroo in Kupwara in a state of emotional outburst over a failed relation with a girl.
The police made every possible effort to retrieve Kumar’s body, with even marine commandos being pressed into service, but without any success.
Subsequently, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to solve the case.
On sustained questioning by the SIT, Ahmad allegedly “confessed” to his crime of killing Kumar and throwing his body in river Puhroo on May 15, the DIG said.
“He (Ahmad) said that during their visit to Pahalgam on May 14, Kumar had resorted to unnatural sexual act with him and also threatened him that he would not disclose it to their colleagues.
“In order to protect himself from the social stigma, he (Ahmad) made up his mind to kill Kumar,” Bhat said.
Giving details, the DIG said Kumar had taken Ahmad, who also happened to be his friend, to Pahalgam after procuring three liquor bottles from Batwara area of Srinagar.
After reaching Pahalgam, they consumed liquor along with some cannabis and decided to stay in the car for the night where Kumar resorted to unnatural sex with Ahmad, Bhat said.
In the morning, they went to see Kumar’s uncle Dileep Kumar, who is a Head Constable. Then the three left for Kupwara as Dileep was transferred there from Anantnag.
They dropped Dileep at Kupwara and started back towards Srinagar, the DIG said.
Bhat said when they reached Yunsu bridge in Handwara area of Kupwara, Ahmad stopped, went down from the car, picked up a stone and hit Kumar on the head with it.
Ahmad then disposed off Kumar’s body in river Puhroo near Kachri Kultoora after driving there, the DIG said.
He then washed his vehicle with his shirt, Bhat said.
He said the police has seized the car, the stone and clothes of the accused and sent those for forensic examination.
The DIG said efforts are on to trace Kumar’s body.
