J&K Govt Terminates 2 Doctors For Conspiring With Pak To Fabricate Evidence In 2009 Shopian Rape Case

According to sources close to the government, both doctors falsified the post-mortem report of Asiya and Neelofar of Shopian, who had unfortunately died by accidental drowning on May 29, 2009.

After the incident, the Kashmir valley kept burning for almost seven months.

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday terminated two doctors for allegedly actively working with Pakistan. The two doctors, Dr Bilal Ahmad Dalal and Dr Nighat Shaheen Chilloo, were fired from the service for hatching a conspiracy with its assets within Kashmir to fabricate evidence in the 2009 "Shopian rape" case.

 

Notably, two women, Asiya Jan and Neelofar, were found dead in a stream in Shopian on May 30, 2009, leading to allegations that they were raped and murdered by security personnel.

 

According to sources close to the government, both doctors falsified the post-mortem report of Asiya and Neelofar of Shopian, who had unfortunately died by accidental drowning on May 29, 2009.

 

The sources stated that the ultimate aim of the duo was to create disaffection against the Indian state by falsely accusing the security forces of rape and murder. The investigation reveals that the top echelon of the then government knew about the facts, which was conveniently buried, while Kashmir burnt, the sources revealed.

 

After the incident, the Kashmir valley kept burning for almost seven months. Large-scale riots took place here, about 600 minor and major law and order incidents came to the fore, and a total of 251 FIRs were registered in police stations for incidents related to rioting, stone pelting, and arson. 

 

However, after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the probe, it revealed that neither of the women were ever raped or murdered, but died due to accidental drowning.

The two have been charge-sheeted by the CBI for fabricating evidence and twisting the accidental deaths due to drowning as rape and murder.

Dalal was the first doctor to conduct an autopsy of the bodies, whereas Chilloo was a part of the second team of doctors that conducted post-mortem examination, the officials said.

In a gross violation of medical ethics, Chilloo took her own vaginal swab and projected it to be of Asiya Jan, who she had claimed was raped and murdered, they said.

However, an AIIMS forensic team comprising Dr T D Dogra and Dr Anupama Raina got the bodies exhumed and found that Asiya Jan's hymen was intact. The same reports were part of the CBI charge sheet, they said.

On December 14, 2009, the CBI told the Jammu and Kashmir High Court that the two women were neither raped nor murdered, but died due to drowning.