4 booked for woman’s murder, remanded in 7-day police custody

Srinagar, May 5: Following the horrifying incident in Nishat area of Srinagar on Sunday evening, police have booked four individuals for the murder of the nomadic woman, a day after their arrest. A local court on Monday granted seven-day police custody of the accused to aid the ongoing investigation.

The woman, aged around 42, was found grievously injured near Water Works Road in Nishat on Saturday evening, after what police suspect was an attempted sexual assault. She succumbed to her injuries and was declared "brought dead" at the hospital, prompting police to launch a murder investigation under FIR No. 35/2025 at Nishat Police Station.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar, Dr GV Sundeep Chakravarthy had on Sunday told Greater Kashmir that the case is being pursued with "utmost seriousness" and that strict legal action will follow. “No crime against women—or anyone else—will be tolerated in Srinagar,” the SSP asserted. The woman was tending to her herd in the foothills of the Zaberwan range when she was assaulted. Initial investigations indicate she was attacked by a group of men in a secluded area. Police were alerted around 5pm, and a rapid response led to the detention of four suspects the same night.

The accused have been identified as Suhail Bashir Bhat, resident of Asham Sumbal, Adil Ali Bhat, resident of Zeethyar Nishat, Firdous Ahmad Rather, resident of Zeethyar Nishat and Suhail Afzal Bhat (28) resident of Pahloo Brein.

All four have now been booked for murder and were remanded to seven-day police custody by a magistrate court for further interrogation and evidence gathering. "This is a heinous crime, and we are leaving no stone unturned to ensure justice is delivered swiftly," said a senior police official. The murder has sparked widespread outrage among locals and civil society groups, who are demanding speedy justice and stronger protections for nomadic and marginalised communities in Kashmir.