A disturbing case of deception unraveled in Jammu after a police investigation revealed that the death of 30-year-old Mehjabeen Akil Sheikh, initially reported as a road accident, was caused by gunshot wounds, prompting the suspension of three policemen of Channi Himmat Police Station. The incident, which occurred last month, has raised serious questions about the initial handling of the case by local authorities.
On August 21, Mehjabeen, her 21-year-old sister Fatima, and 28-year-old Jaspreet Kour from Ludhiana were admitted to JK Medicity Hospital on Jammu’s outskirts by two men who claimed the trio had been injured in a road accident on Ring Road. Mehjabeen succumbed to her injuries on August 29 at Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital. However, a subsequent probe exposed that the three women had been shot by unidentified assailants, contradicting the road accident narrative.
On Friday, Jammu Senior Superintendent of Police Joginder Singh suspended Channi Himmat Police Station SHO Inspector Deepak Pathania, Sainik Colony police post in-charge Sub-Inspector Wasim Bhatti, and Sub-Inspector Rohit Sharma from Channi Himmat Police Station for their roles in the mishandling of the case. Authorities have launched an investigation to apprehend the shooters.
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According to a police spokesperson, the initial response on August 21 involved a team from Channi Himmat Police Station attending to a call from JK Medicity Hospital. The victims were deemed unfit to provide statements, and they were transferred to GMC Hospital the next day without police knowledge. Suspicion arose when Mehjabeen’s mother sought a post-mortem exemption on August 29, prompting Inspector Pathania to investigate further. Contradictory statements and discrepancies led to the discovery that the case was falsely registered as a road traffic accident.
On August 30, inquest proceedings were initiated under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). A post-mortem, conducted the following day in the presence of an executive magistrate and videographed, confirmed the use of a firearm as the cause of Mehjabeen’s injuries and death. Police seized the victim’s clothing, retrieved CCTV footage, call records, and internet activity as evidence, leading to the conversion of the inquest into a First Information Report (FIR) under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act.
The case has sparked outrage over the initial misrepresentation and the failure to promptly identify the true nature of the incident. Authorities are intensifying efforts to trace the perpetrators and uncover the motive behind the shooting, as the suspensions highlight accountability measures within the police force.
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