In 2009, allegations began circulating about the abduction, rape and murder of two young women Asiya Jan and Neelofar Jan allegedly by the Central Reserve Police Force of India. Between 29 and 30 May 2009, at Bongam, Shopian district, Jammu and Kashmir, the two women (sisters-in-law) had gone missing from their orchard on the way home on 29 May 2009. The next morning, their bodies were found both one kilometer apart. Local police concluded the women appeared to have drowned in a stream, rejecting allegations that their deaths were homicides.
On 22 June 2023, the Jammu and Kashmir administration, invoking Article 311(2)(c) of the Constitution of India, terminated two doctors, Dr. Bilal Ahmad Dalal and Dr. Nighat Shaheen Chilloo, claiming the two were "actively working" with Pakistan-based groups and falsifying evidence in the case. According to officials, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) found that the deaths of Asiya Jan and Neelofar Jan on 29 May 2009, were due to accidental drowning, not rape or murder. The doctors allegedly manipulated the post-mortem report to frame security forces, aiming to incite disaffection against the Indian state. The CBI charge-sheeted them and 11 other people in December 2009 for "misleading the investigations and fabricating evidence about rape and murder"."Shopian rape, murder case: Two J&K docs dismissed for fabricating evidence at Pak’s behest", hindustantimes.com. Accessed 11 June 2025.
Victims Neelofar Jan, aged 22 and Asiya Jan, aged 17, were sisters-in-law and resided in Bongam, Shopian. Neelofar Jan was married to Shakeel Ahmed Ahangar and the couple had a two-year-old son. Asiya Jan was the daughter of Abdul Gani Ahangar.
Initial stages of investigations Local villagers stated that the two women were raped and the murdered by members of security forces. A protest called by Syed Ali Shah Geelani of the Hurriyat called for a shutdown of business, but later turned violent, as a consequence of which the administration declared a curfew.
A press release by the police on 30 May stated that "Post-mortem conducted revealed no marks on the dead bodies including private parts." No FIR was registered for either rape or murder and the government of Jammu and Kashmir ordered for a judicial probe to be led by retired Justice Muzaffar Jan into the incident due to people's lack of faith in police investigations. Concerns arose after the doctor who conducted the post-mortem admitted to the Central Bureau of Investigation that the vaginal swabs that she had submitted to them for testing were fabricated from discarded lab items, and that she had not taken any swabs from the victims. Later, testing by the Central Forensic Laboratory proved that the samples submitted after post-mortem did not match the victims.
On 7 June 2009, Jammu and Kashmir police filed FIR of rape and murder following widespread protests across the state.
Case history On 31 May 2009, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, appointed retired Justice Muzaffar Jan to carry out the probe and complete the inquiry in one month's time. The Superintendent of Police, Dr Haseeb Mughal, and The Chief Prosecuting Officer, Abdul Majid Dar, were to assist in the probe, headed by Justice (retired) Muzaffar Jan. The report would be subsequently tabled in the state assembly to make it public. The notification issued in this regard by the Home Department said that the Commission shall: ascertain whether there had been any foul play in their death and, if so, identify the person/persons responsible. perform all other functions necessary for holding of inquiry and submit its report within one month from the date of the notification. ascertain whether there was any failure on the part of any government department in the conduct of any investigation or handling of the post-incident situation. The Commission, appointed in exercise of powers conferred by Section 3 of the J&K Commission of Inquiry Act, shall recommend action as deemed necessary against the person/persons involved/responsible and suggest action as may be necessary to ensure non-repetition of such incidents. The government has further directed that the provisions of sub-section 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Section 5 of Commission of Inquiry Act shall be applicable to the Commission.
Outcome of Justice Jan commission The final report filed by Justice Jan Commission is summarised in seven parts. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7
Role of the Press Justice Jan Commission also concluded that a lot of incorrect reporting from the press was noted in regard to the case. It recommended that firm guidelines should be made to ensure authentic news is published in such cases, to prevent law and order problems. Commission observed multiple instances of incorrect reporting by the press under the section 'Press Recommendation'. For instance, it was widely put out that the girls have been gangraped, but no evidence of it was found by the medical experts. Similarly, it was reported that their clothes were found to be torn, which was also found to be untrue by the Commission. Most importantly, media publicised a 'last phone call' of Neelofer to her husband, and it was presented that she told him that she was being chased by CRPF persons near the river. However, Neelofer's husband (Shakeel), her brother (Syed) and her cousin sister (Posha), all gave their statement to the Commission, on oath, that neither did she own a mobile phone nor did she call alleging such chase by any CRPF persons.
Timeline of probe and police findings and fact-finding committee Date Details 6 June 2009Justice (retired) Muzaffar Jan established his office in Circuit House Shopian and started its functioning.
The Shopian Bar Association formed a six-member ‘fact finding committee’ which included Advocate S M Iqbal, Advocate Ajaz Hussain, Advocate Ghulam Hassan Dar, Advocate Sheikh Mubarak and Advocate A M Mir and headed by Advocate M.Y. Bhat. The Forensic Science Lab report confirmed gang rape of the duo. Reports were presented to the authorities on Sunday, 7 June 2009. 7 June 2009 Police registered a case under section 376 of Indian Penal Code after Forensic Sciences Laboratory (FSL) report confirming rape on two women. The case was registered under FIR no 112/2009 in Police Station Shopian. 8 June 2009 The director general of police, Kuldeep Khoda, ordered that a three-member special investigation team consisting of Shah-Din Malik (SP commandant IRP 5th battalion as Incharge), Mushtaq Ahmad Shah (deputy superintendent of police, Awantipora) and Najeeb Hussain Nahvi (senior prosecuting officer of Crime Branch Kashmir) expeditiously investigate the matter. The three-man team would investigate the case under the supervision of DIG South Kashmir Range. Commission ordered police to handover a complete report about the duty schedule and leave schedule of the policemen stationed in various pickets around the place wherefrom the two women disappeared on 29 May besides commission along with his team also visited both the spots from where police recovered the bodies.9 June 2009CoI summoned all the doctors of both teams which had conducted post-mortems of the victims and recorded their statements in detail.