SRINAGAR (KIMS) — Srinagar Police on Friday said it has secured the conviction of an accused in a 2020 murder case, with the court sentencing him to life imprisonment.
According to a police statement, the conviction was secured in FIR No. 03/2020 registered at Police Station Maisuma. The court convicted Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Dar, son of Abdul Gani Dar, a resident of Bichwara, Dalgate, Srinagar, for the murder of Abdul Gani Dar, son of Mohammad Abdullah, a resident of Rassu, Budgam, under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Police said that after hearing arguments on the quantum of sentence, the court observed that although the offence was grave and heinous, it did not fall within the category of the “rarest of rare” cases warranting the death penalty.
Accordingly, the court sentenced the convict to rigorous imprisonment for life and imposed a fine of ₹50,000. The court directed that the fine amount, if realised, be paid to the legal heirs of the deceased as compensation. The convict was also granted the benefit of set-off for the period already spent in judicial custody, in accordance with law.
The statement said the court took serious note of the fact that the murder was committed inside the premises of a mosque, observing that violence at a place of worship undermines public peace, communal harmony and the sanctity of religious institutions.
Considering the hardship faced by the victim’s family, particularly the dependence of his children, the court also directed payment of ₹7 lakh as victim compensation under the Jammu and Kashmir Victim Compensation Scheme, 2019. The compensation will be released through the Jammu and Kashmir State Legal Services Authority within the stipulated period.
Police said the conviction was the result of a meticulous investigation and effective prosecution, reflecting Srinagar Police’s commitment to ensuring justice through professional investigation, scientific evidence and diligent prosecution.
Srinagar Police reiterated its commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that offenders are brought to justice in accordance with law. — (KIMS)