SRINAGAR : A complete shutdown was observed in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on the eighth death anniversary of Aasiya Jan and Neelofar Shakeel, who were found dead in a stream on this day in 2009.
All business establishments, schools and shops were closed in the town and adjoining areas, while public transport was off the roads.
The death of sisters-in-law, Asiya and Neelofar, had triggered widespread protests across the Kashmir valley in 2009 and Shopian area witnessed consecutive shutdown for 49 days.
Aasiya (17) and her sister-in-law, Neelofar (21) went missing on this day in 2009 after they left for their orchard. Their bodies were recovered from a stream on the next day.
The villagers alleged that the women were raped and murdered by the government forces, a charge denied by then Omar Abdullah-led state government. The government then termed it a case of drowning.
Following public outcry, the government ordered a judicial inquiry while as the police also constituted Special Investigating Team (SIT) who in their reports did not rule out the rape and murder.
The case was later handed over to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which concluded that the women had died due to drowning.
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