J&K court sentences militant to life: ‘Human testimony cannot reproduce event with precision’

A Jammu and Kashmir court in Ramban has sentenced a militant, Mohammad Sharief, to two life terms for the 2005 massacre of a family. Sharief was one of two accused, the other being Shabir Ahmed, who was never arrested as he died in 2006. The attack occurred on July 27, 2005, when the pair entered Rashid Bohra's house and opened fire, killing three family members, including a five-month-old infant. Rashid and his daughter-in-law survived the attack but were severely injured.

Sharief was arrested in 2019, while Ahmed never faced arrest. The Ramban court sentenced Sharief to life terms, one for murder and the other for criminal conspiracy to commit an act against the state. Additionally, Sharief received rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for attempted murder and another 10 years under the Arms Act. All sentences will be served concurrently, according to Principal Sessions Judge Ajay Kumar Gupta.

The court rejected the defense's plea for Sharief's acquittal, stating that human testimony does not need to be photographic in accuracy. It acknowledged minor discrepancies in the prosecution's evidence but emphasized that only contradictions regarding the core event, the assailant's identity, and witness presence could significantly impact credibility.

The judge observed that delaying the recording of two eyewitnesses' statements by one to four months was justified due to the severity of their injuries. Rashid, hit six times by AK-47 bullets, remained unconscious for seven days, while Mashooma was hit about 15-16 times and lost consciousness on the spot, regaining awareness only after a week.

The court pointed out that Mashooma's statement required extra consideration, given the emotional and physical trauma she experienced.