Fourteen years after the killing of Abdul Rashid Beigh from Wadder Bala, Rajwar Hadwara, a local court has convicted three individuals to life imprisonment in the murder case, officials said on Thursday.
Speaking to Rising Kashmir an official said, an additional session judge has sentenced life imprisonment to three individuals found guilty in the murder case of Abdul Rashid Beigh, son of Ghulam Ahmad Beigh, a resident of Wadder Bala.
The official stated that in 2009, an FIR with registration number 128/2009, under sections 302, 14, 148, 149/323 RPC, was filed against six individuals, including some females. After 14 years, the additional sessions judge Handwara announced life imprisonment for three people, while the remaining three were awarded two years in jail, which they have already completed.
The individuals sentenced to life imprisonment were identified as Bashir Ahmad Mir and Habibullah Mir, sons of Abdul Gani Mir, and Manzoor Ahmad Beigh, son of Mohammad Hamza Beigh, all residents of Wadder Bala, Rajwar. The females sentenced to two years imprisonment were identified as Mala Begum, Raja Begum, and Fahmeeda Begum, some of whom have already completed their sentences.
The brother of the deceased, Mohammad Ramzan, expressed satisfaction with the verdict. He recalled that on July 19, 2009, villagers gathered to discuss the establishment of a new SSA school in the village. “An argument ensued when one of the accused attempted to set up the school according to his wishes, and the deceased, Abdul Rashid, opposed the decision.”
Ramzan explained that the village head decided to arrange a meeting to resolve the issues. On that fateful day, as Abdul Rashid was returning from duty, he reached the scene, and an argument between him and the accused escalated into a fight. Abdul Rashid sustained head injuries and was initially taken to the nearby hospital in Zachaldara. Later, he was shifted to SKIMS Soura for better treatment but succumbed to his injuries after battling for a few hours.
According to Ramzan, the police registered a “murder” case and detained around ten people, including three females. On December 28, the sessions court convicted the trio to life imprisonment, Ramzan added.