Shopian tense as local activist is found dead

Shopian was gripped by tension on Tuesday evening yet again following the recovery of the body of a prominent activist of the local action committee formed in the wake of the rape and murder of two young women in the town on May 30.

42-year-old Mohammad Hussain Zargar, had gone missing on last Saturday and his body was discovered on Tuesday evening in mysterious circumstances in an orchard by the local police who immediately took it to the local hospital and surrounded the area.

The recovery of the body happened hours after the state chief minister, Omar Abdullah visited a village on the outskirts of Shopian to promise the people of 'no let in tracing the culprits of the town's two young women who were raped and murdered on May 30 and awarding them exemplary punishment'.

The rape and murder of 17-year old Asiya Jan and her 22-year old sister-in-law Neelofar Jan had kept the town and rest of Kashmir on boil for over two months in which two persons were killed and scores others wounded in scattered police protestor clashes. The town itself had shut for a record 48 days demanding identification and punishment to the perpetrators of the crime.

As the news about the recovery of the Zargar's body spread in the town, 65 kms from capital Srinagar angry residents spilled on the towns streets to mourn the death and staged massive protests on Tuesday evening. A spokesman of the Shopian action committee said the town will observe a complete shutdown on Wednesday to protest the mysterious death of Zargar and demanded a thorough probe so that circumstances of his death are brought to light.