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Tuesday, Nov 09, 2004

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National

Magisterial probe into alleged rape

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR, NOV. 8. Even as the State Government ordered a magisterial inquiry into the alleged rape of a woman and her daughter by the Army personnel on Saturday night in Badr Payeen, 11 km from Handwara of Kupwara district, protests rocked many parts of Srinagar for the second day today.

The Additional Deputy Commissioner of Kupwara, Sharafat Ali Khan, has been appointed Inquiry Officer and he is to submit a detailed report within 10 days, according to a statement by the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir.

At least a dozen protesters were arrested by police and as many injured in clashes. Hundreds of Kashmir University students boycotted classes and took out a procession in the campus raising slogans against the security forces and demanding a high-level judicial probe.

The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Forum chief, Javed Mir, and the Geelani faction of the Hurriyat Conference held protests at the Maisuma area in Civil Lines.

Police tried to stop the protesters and had to resort to lathicharge. Twenty persons, including Mr. Mir, were arrestedThe CPI (M) State secretary, M.Y. Tarigami, termed the incident "shocking" and asked the Government to institute a high-level inquiry.

The defence spokesman, Lt. Col. V.K. Batra, said that the allegations of rape were "baseless."

Court of Inquiry

PTI reports from Delhi:

The Army Chief, Gen. N.C. Vij, today ordered the immediate constitution of a Court of Inquiry to probe the alleged rape.

"The Court of Inquiry has been asked to submit its report within a week," an Army spokesman said here.

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