Jammu, May 5: Police today claimed to have arrested a stepmother who allegedly murdered a minor girl in Kishtwar district.
Police said that they received a missing report from Ruksana Begum, wife of Mohammed Amin, resident of village Keshwan (Kishtwar) about the disappearance of her minor daughter (age-2 years).
“The missing girl was last seen with her stepmother on May 4. The family members searched for the duo but could neither trace the missing girl nor her stepmother Zahida Begum,” said the police quoting the complaint.
The police acting on the complaint lodged an FIR Number 100 of 2023 under section 363 IPC at Police Station Kishtwar and investigation was taken up.an
Subsequently, SSP Kishtwar Khalil Poswal constituted a special investigation team under the charge of DySP Headquarter Kishtwar, Ashish Gupta, SHO Kishtwar Inspector Abid Hussain, and SI Incharge Police Post Vikram Singh, Thakrie.
During the course of the investigation, the police team immediately swung into action and arrested the suspect lady namely Zahida Begum who during the course of sustained interrogation admitted to having committed the murder of a minor girl and dumped the body of the deceased in the forest area.
Accordingly, the police team based upon disclosure of the accused recovered the body of the minor girl along with the weapon of offense.
“With the assistance of FSL, the team is being taken for collection of evidence on scientific lines,” said the police and added that the body of the deceased was brought to the District Hospital Kishtwar for conducting an autopsy.
Meanwhile, under section 302 IPC has been added to the list of alleged offences. The motive behind the commission of murder is being ascertained by the investigation agency.
