A police spokesman said that an FIR was registered after a written complaint from the girl’s father on August 24 in which he stated that he feared his nine-year-old daughter has been abducted.

Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested five persons involved in “gang rape and murder” of a minor girl who was found dead on weekend after remaining untraced for ten days in Uri area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Those arrested include her step mother and a step brother.

A police spokesman said that an FIR was registered after a written complaint from the girl’s father on August 24 in which he stated that he feared his nine-year-old daughter has been abducted.

“On receipt of this complaint, case FIR No. 43/2018 under section 363 RPC was registered in P/S Boniyar and investigation was taken up. Thereafter police made strenuous efforts to trace the missing girl by utilizing the available resources however the girl could not be traced out,” said the spokesman.

“During the course of investigation, the statement of the father of the girl was recorded and it was found that he has two wives one from local Trikanjan village namely Fahmeeda and another Khushboo who is a non local from the state of Jharkhand.

“The missing girl was daughter of non local mother. He also stated that his one wife namely Fahmeeda would mostly work outside the home being involved in grazing the goats in nearby fields/jungle, while as his non local wife would mostly stay at home to cook food etc.”

The spokesman said that the body of the missing girl was found in a decomposed state on September 2 in a forest area barely one kilometer from her home.

“From the examination of scene of crime and circumstances thereof, it appeared to be the case of murder and accordingly investigation was set into motion in this direction,” he said.

A special investigation team (SIT) headed by SDPO Uri was constituted to investigate the murder. SIT interrogated the suspects and during sustained questioning of the step mother of the deceased and other suspects a bone chilling and horrible account of murder and rape of 09 year old child came to be known,” said the spokesman.

“It was found that the step mother namely Fahmeeda had been nourishing a long standing grudge against the non local wife of her husband and her children as she has the perception that her husband was more inclined and affectionate towards her 2nd wife ( Khushboo) and the children born of her than her (Fahmeeda) and her children.”

“During questioning, she also revealed that her husband would mostly spend time with his 2nd wife and his deceased daughter was dearest of him among all children. 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, according to the spokesman, 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. Sahil later on joined her mother in forest area along with two of his friends namely Kaiser Ahmad aged 19 years S/O Sikander Mir and Aadil Ahmad aged 14 years S/O Bashir Ahmad both residents of Trikanjan Boniyar. One more accused Naseer Ahmad Khan @ Guddo aged 28 years S/O Sher Zaman Khan R/O Lari, Trikanjan also joined in the commission of crime.”

According to the spokesman, 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. 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. Adil’s household stores the acid for maintenance of the battery of TATA Sumo vehicle possessed by them.

“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.Physical condition and preliminary forensic analysis of dead body substantiated all these facts. Finally Kaiser and Naseer dumped the body in the bushes and covered it with twigs and branches of pine trees.”

“All the material and weapons of offence including Axe and knife have been recovered at the instance of the accused. Also the plastic can containing the acid has been recovered. All the accused have been arrested. The case will be soon charge sheeted for judicial determination.”