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Kashmir strike to protest probe Kashmir protests over 'cover-up'
(about 6 hours later)
A near total shutdown is being observed in Indian-administered Kashmir to protest a federal investigation into the death of two women. Protesters brought Indian-administered Kashmir to a virtual standstill amid claims that a federal inquiry into the deaths of two women is a cover-up.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has concluded that the two women were not raped or murdered in the town of Shopian. Locals allege the women, who died in the town of Shopian in May, were raped and murdered by security forces.
The CBI told the high court in Srinagar that the women drowned in a canal. But on Monday India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told the high court in Srinagar they had died by drowning.
The families of the women told the court that the CBI had hushed up the case to protect the guilty. The families of the women told the court that the CBI report was trying to protect the guilty.
The CBI took over the case in the summer after state authorities admitted the women had been raped and murdered. The discovery of the women's bodies led to weeks of violent protests earlier this year.
Tuesday's shutdown has been called by Majlis-e-Mushawarat , a people's forum in Shopian spearheading protests over the deaths. 'False reports'
Shops across the valley are closed and traffic is suspended, says the BBC's Altaf Husain in Srinagar. Tuesday's protests shut shops across the Kashmir valley and brought traffic to a standstill, reports the BBC's Altaf Husain in Srinagar.
Questions asked People in the Muslim-dominated valley believe the CBI report is a cover-up, our correspondent says.
People in the Muslim dominated valley believe the CBI report is a cover-up.
One resident Mohammad Yusuf said: "How could two women drown at the same time in a canal which had a low water level?"One resident Mohammad Yusuf said: "How could two women drown at the same time in a canal which had a low water level?"
Afroz Hussain, another resident, said: "Why did [chief minister] Omar Abdullah repeatedly apologise to people for calling it a case of drowning in the beginning if he was convinced that the women had not been murdered?"Afroz Hussain, another resident, said: "Why did [chief minister] Omar Abdullah repeatedly apologise to people for calling it a case of drowning in the beginning if he was convinced that the women had not been murdered?"
The discovery of the women's bodies in May led to weeks of violent protests by locals, who blamed security forces for the deaths.
The bodies of the women were exhumed in September by the CBI in a fresh attempt to determine what happened to them.
In its report presented to the high court on Monday, the CBI accused 13 people - six doctors, five lawyers and two civilians - of fabricating a false case.In its report presented to the high court on Monday, the CBI accused 13 people - six doctors, five lawyers and two civilians - of fabricating a false case.
Anger flared over the CBI's findings
The CBI report says the doctors gave false post-mortem reports and sent slides that had been tampered with for DNA examination.The CBI report says the doctors gave false post-mortem reports and sent slides that had been tampered with for DNA examination.
However, the investigating agency absolved four police officers who had earlier been arrested on charges of destroying evidence. It absolved four police officers arrested for destroying evidence, saying the charges against them had not been substantiated.
The report said the allegations against them were not substantiated. Campaigners told the high court the CBI had not recorded vital information provided by the relatives of the two women.
A separate judicial probe into the incident ruled that the "involvement of some agency of the police cannot be ruled out".A separate judicial probe into the incident ruled that the "involvement of some agency of the police cannot be ruled out".
Relatives of the two women and campaigners accused the CBI of trying to protect the guilty. Exhumations
The CBI had not recorded vital information provided by the relatives of the two women, they told the high court. The bodies of Neelofar Jan, 22, and her 17-year-old sister-in-law, Ayesha, were found in the canal in Shopian on 30 May.
'Cover-up'
The bodies of Neelofar Jan, 22, and her 17-year-old sister-in-law, Ayesha, were found in the canal on 30 May.
The women had gone missing the previous evening.The women had gone missing the previous evening.
Local residents said they had been raped and murdered either by police or paramilitary forces. State authorities at first said the women had drowned, before admitting they had been raped and murdered.
Protests shut the town for 47 days. At least two people were killed and 500 injured in clashes with police after demonstrations spread to other parts of the Kashmir valley.
State authorities said at first the women had drowned, before admitting they had been raped and murdered.
Facing charges of a cover-up and with no-one brought to justice, the state government handed over the investigation to the CBI.Facing charges of a cover-up and with no-one brought to justice, the state government handed over the investigation to the CBI.
The Kashmir High Court Bar Association opposed the move, saying the CBI lost its credibility in Kashmir during its investigation into a sex scandal three years ago. It had the bodies of the women exhumed in September in a fresh attempt to determine what happened to them.