Shopian, Oct 26: The three-member team of interlocutors Tuesday visited the family of teenager Asiya Jan and her sister-in-law Neelofar in Shopian whose bodies were recovered on May 30, 2009, after being allegedly raped and murdered.
“We have been asked by the Prime Minister and Home Minister to meet the family of the victims and get their side of the story,” the team headed by Dileep Padgaonkar is learnt to have told Shakeel Ahangar, husband of Neelofar and brother of Asiya Jan.
“The interlocutors visited my house in the afternoon, I could not recognize them as I was not having any prior information about their visit. If I would have known it earlier that they are coming to meet me, I would have declined to meet them because I don’t have any expectation from them,” Shakeel later said.
Shakeel added that he expressed his unwillingness ‘to trust the Indian judicial system as the country has shielded the culprits behind the gruesome rape and murder of my sister and wife.’
“I am not expecting anything from you. You are the representatives of a nation that has raped and killed not only my sister and wife, but many other women in Valley. Such cases will continue till Indian occupying forces remain in Kashmir and unless Kashmir achieves freedom,” Shakeel told the interlocutors.
“The Home Minister is well aware of all the facts about the rape and murder and the case was hushed up by the premier investigating agency of the country (CBI) with his full knowledge and while the culprits are roaming free, the victims were made accused,” he said.
Shakeel later presented a memorandum before the interlocutors, which read: “When brutal Indian forces are safeguarded and shielded and peaceful protestors seeking justice are crumbled. The nation who’s investigating agencies shields the culprits with strong effort. I think there is no alternative than to demand complete freedom from Indian occupation. It is only after getting freedom from India that our dignity is safe. I strongly want to convey the ministers of India to restore the people of Kashmir their basic right of freedom. It is good for all of us.”
The three interlocutors also visited the office of the chairperson of Association of Parents for Disappeared Person, Parveena Ahanger in the capital city.
Parveena asked the trio to impress upon New Delhi to trace the ten thousand Kashmiri youth disappeared since 1990 in security forces action. She has been assured by the interlocutors that the issue would be mentioned in the report submitted to the Home Ministry.
 Meanwhile, the Majlis-e-Mashawarat Shopian, the people’s body leading the campaign for justice to Asiya Jan and Neelofar, today decided not to meet the interlocutors.
 A statement by Majlis Secretary, A. H. Dewa, said, “After the observation of the conduct and approach of all the institutions responsible for delivery of justice to the victims, Majlis in particular and the people of Kashmir in general came to the conclusion that none of the institutions of India could be further relied on. Since the interlocutors are on a Govt. of India mission here in Kashmir and in this regard we have been approached by them for a meeting. However Majlis rules out any possibility of meeting with the team because it doesn’t rely or have any faith in any such institutions or missions.”

Lastupdate on : Tue, 26 Oct 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 26 Oct 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 27 Oct 2010 00:00:00 IST