'Demanded scooter, killed as he denied, later labelled informer': Court sentences life imprisonment to Hizb militant in 1993 civilian killing

August 21, 2025 by News Desk

More than three decades after a carpet weaver was gunned down in his village, a Bandipora court has sentenced Hizbul Mujahideen militant Abdul Wahid Mir to life imprisonment for the 1993 killing.

Additional Sessions Judge Susheel Singh convicted Mir for the murder of 32-year-old Mohammad Shafi Hajam in Onagam village on December 7, 1993. The case had initially been closed as “untraced” in 1994 but was reopened a decade later following relentless efforts by the victim’s family.

Mir was awarded life imprisonment under Section 302 RPC, three years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 201 RPC, and seven years under the Arms Act. The sentences will run concurrently. The court also directed the Jammu and Kashmir Legal Services Authority to provide Rs 1 lakh compensation to Hajam’s parents under the 2013 Victim Compensation Scheme.

According to the prosecution, Mir, along with another militant, entered Hajam’s home on the morning of the incident, demanded his scooter, and forced him to accompany them. Eyewitnesses, including Hajam’s brothers, testified that Mir marched him to a nearby graveyard and shot him point-blank in the forehead. Villagers prevented the militant from burning the body after he poured kerosene on it.

The killing left the family terrorised. Posters branding Hajam an “informer” appeared in the locality, and villagers were warned against supporting his relatives. For weeks, the family lived under threat and could not openly mourn his death.

The case had been closed in March 1994 for lack of leads. But in 2004, the family came forward to identify the perpetrators, leading to a reinvestigation and fresh witness statements. Mir, who admitted past militant links but claimed he had surrendered, faced a lengthy trial. Multiple family members testified against him, recounting the killing in detail.

In his judgment, Judge Singh described the crime as “heinous and one that shook the conscience of society.” However, considering Mir’s age—55 years—and the time already spent in custody, the court ruled out the death penalty. He will remain lodged in Central Jail Agra, pending confirmation of the sentence by the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court.

Meanwhile, the co-accused, Ali Mohammad Khawja alias Khan, was acquitted of all charges due to lack of sufficient evidence.

The court also acknowledged the contributions of the Additional Advocate General and the defence counsel in bringing closure to the decades-old case.