Farkhanda murder: Detainees being referred to AGO

KABUL and 27 suspects detained in the case would be referred to the Attorney General Office (AGO).

Farkhanda, 27, was subjected to mob violence on Thursday after she was accused of burning a copy of the Quran, an allegation that investigators have rejected as false.

The mob beat Farkhanda before throwing her body off a roof, setting it on fire and throwing it into a river. Eyewitnesses said the men were chanting anti-America slogans while beating the woman.

But the Ministry of Haj and Religious Affairs said no incident of Quran burning had taken place in the area. Maulvi Mohiuddin Baloch, head of the committee investigating Farkhanda’s killing, told journalists she was innocent.

He said 27 suspects in connection with her murder have been detained and their cases would be referred to AGO coming Saturday.

Baloch said 19 policemen, including 2^nd police district chief, had been sacked due to negligence and they had been under interrogation.

Headed by Maulvi Baloch the committee was formed following a presidential decree to investigate Farkhanda’s case from religious and legal perspectives.

Maulvi Mohammad Omar Farooqi, Mohammad Hussein Mohaqiqzada, Fauzia Kofi, Shinkai Karokhel, Shahla Farid, Mehbooba Saraj, Najibullah Azizi, Shamsullah Ahmadzai, Khpalwak Safi and Mujib Rahman Khilwatgar are among members.

Baloch said findings of the committee would be submitted to President Ashraf Ghani.

Fawzia Kofi, a lawmaker and member of the committee, said Farkhanda’s killing was not preplanned. “Based on our findings and evidence, the Quran was not burnt and the papers torched had a Persian script on them.”

Asmat Qane, a political analyst, said in the morning before Farkhanda was killed there were rumours that some people wanted to disturb the law and order situation in the city.

He added some people were seen with sticks in front of the Shah Do Shamshera mosque. Vendors in the locality also claimed that gangsters were seen in the area earlier.

hg/mud

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