Lawyers stage protest over rape of two Kashmiri women

Srinagar, June 13 (ANI): A group of lawyers took out a protest march on Saturday here over the alleged rape and murder of two young Muslim women allegedly by some personnel of the security forces.

The lawyers under the aegis of Kashmir Bar Association marched down the streets of Srinagar demanding immediate arrest of the culprits.

"We will not sit quiet until the killers of Shopian are brought to justice" said Nazir Ahmad Rongah, General Secretary, Kashmir Bar Association.

Many local residents allege that a teenaged girl and another 22-year-old woman were abducted, raped and killed by some personnel of security forces on May 29 in Shopian town, 60 kilometres (37 miles) south of Srinagar.

Kashmir has been rocked by violent protests during past few days over the killings.

The eight-day strike called by the separatists had also crippled life in the valley.

Authorities have denied the killing of the two saying the women drowned in a stream.

On May 30, the police also confirmed that the post-mortem revealed no marks of violence.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief minister Omar Abdullah has ordered a judicial inquiry into the deaths. But separatists have rejected the probe.

Most of the separatists, including hard line leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, have been placed under house arrest to prevent and contain violence in the valley. (ANI)