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India police to look into Kashmir rape case

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-06-08 17:37

SRINAGAR, India-controlled Kashmir -- Police have registered a rape case into the mysterious death of two women in India-controlled Kashmir, following the forensic report confirmation that the duo had been raped before being murdered.

A statement issued by police on Monday said inquest proceeding have been started in the matter.

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"The interim medical report from the Medical team received indicates prima facia cognizable offence has taken place. A case has been registered in this matter," a police spokesman said.

The forensic report has put a question mark on the credibility of police and local government in the region, who had ruled out any criminal action into the death.

The death of the two women has triggered protests over the past 10 days and a complete shutdown of Srinagar at the call of the local Muslim separatist leaders.

Meanwhile, police has imposed severe restriction across all the Muslim majority districts including Srinagar city, the region's summer capital to sabotage the Shopian march called by separatists against the death of the two women.

"Thousands of policemen and paramilitary troopers in riot gear are patrolling the streets of Shopian town. Severe restrictions are in place to thwart any protest demonstration," said Gulzar Ahmad, a Shopian resident.  

Several separatist leaders including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Shabir Ahmad Shah and others have been arrested by the police and taken to some unknown destination. The leaders were supposed to lead Monday march to Shopian.