‘Murder Most Foul’: Shock, outrage after teacher’s blood-drenched body is found outside home in J&K’s Poonch

SRINAGAR: Even before the bone-chilling murder of youth by his sister could sink in, another mysterious death of a 36-year-old government school teacher has sent shock waves across Pir Panjal region in the Jammu division.

The body of Shahnaz Akhter was found 100 meters away from her residence at Keri Gursai village in Poonch district on Tuesday. A mother of four, she was posted at Government Middle School, Keri Gulthan in Balakote.

Locals said she seems to have been smothered to death with a dupatta. There were clear injury marks on her body. 

Police have launched the inquest proceedings under Section 174 of CrPC and sent the body for postmortem. Police are waiting for a post-mortem report to unravel the mystery.

“Since it was a suspicious death, we have started proceedings under Section 174 of CrPC. Postmortem has been conducted and investigation is on,” Zahir Abbaas Jaffri, Sub-division Police officer (SDPO), Mendhar, told The Kashmir Monitor.

A team headed by Jafri is investigating the case. Police are probing the case from all angles to unknot the mystery.  “Arrests are made once there is an FIR. We are inquiring into this case. Postmortem has been conducted by a team of doctors. We will be receiving the postmortem report possibly today. Further investigation will depend on the report,” said Jaffri.

The case has sent shivers down the spine of locals in the border area. “There were injury marks on her body which fuels suspicion that she has been attacked. Police are investigating the case and it will be not right to give further details,” said Imran Zaffar, District Development Council member.                                  

Senior Superintendent of Police, Poonch, Dr. Vinod Kumar said the investigation is on. “Once we reach any conclusion, we will share the findings with the media,” he said.                                        

 This is the second case that has rocked the Pir Panjal region this month. On August 11, a sister allegedly killed her brother after he objected to her relationship with a local boy in Rajouri.  Ankit Bakshi, 24, was found dead in his house at Chakli village.

During the investigation, police found that Bakshi was allegedly murdered by his sister in connivance with her boyfriend and a juvenile. “Priya Bakshi was in a relationship with Rajan Sharma for the last one year. It did not go down well with the deceased. He was objecting to it. He showed his opposition. The accused hatched a criminal conspiracy to eliminate the deceased,” said Sheema Qasba, Superintendent of Police, Rajouri.