SIA raids 9 places of slain terrorist Sher Khan of Rajouri in Premi, son’s killings
Mastermind of double murder was killed in Doda Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Aug 12: The State Investigation Agency (SIA) of Jammu and Kashmir Police today conducted raids at nine places in connection with the killings of Kashmiri Pandit writer Sarwanand Koul...
Mastermind of double murder was killed in Doda
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 12: The State Investigation Agency (SIA) of Jammu and Kashmir Police today conducted raids at nine places in connection with the killings of Kashmiri Pandit writer Sarwanand Koul Premi and his son Virender Koul, in Anantnag 36 years ago.
Officials said the raids were conducted at six places in Rajouri district, two in Jammu district and one in Baramulla district of the Kashmir Valley.
As the case was reopened by the UT administration and handed over to the SIA, the investigations conducted by the premier agency revealed that one dreaded terrorist Sher Khan, a resident of Gambhir Mugalan in Rajouri district was mastermind of the double murder committed in 1990 with the onset of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
Investigations further revealed that Sher Khan was later killed at Bhata in Doda district of the Jammu region within a couple of years of the killings.
“Today's raids were conducted at the houses of family members of Sher Khan to get clues about him,'' the officials said, adding at the time of his killing Khan had wife and two daughters besides other family members and relatives.
His daughters were subsequently married.
The raid was also conducted at Khan's ancestral house in Gambhir Mugalan and five other places in Rajouri, Shahbad Colony and Bagh-e-Bahu in Jammu and another house in Baramulla.
The First Information Report (FIR) No. 45/1990 was registered at Police Station Dooru in connection with the killing of Sarwanand Koul Premi and his son Virender Koul. Investigations of the case have now been taken up by the SIA, which obtained search warrants from the competent court to conduct searches at nine locations.
Sources said some documents and electronic gadgets have been seized by the SIA teams during searches for examination.
Kashmiri Pandit writer and social worker Sarwanand Koul Premi and his son Virender Koul, residents of Soaf Shali at Kokernag in Anantnag district were killed by the terrorists, 36 years ago.
Premi and his son were abducted by terrorists on April 29, 1990. Their bodies were recovered on May 1, 1990, following which an FIR was registered at Dooru police station in Anantnag district.
Officials said the raids mark a significant development in the long-running investigation, as the SIA intensifies efforts to uncover the circumstances surrounding the killings and bring the probe to a decisive end.
They said this was among the many cases linked to the killing of minority community members reopened for fresh investigation in recent years and handed over to the SIA.
