Murdered in Ashmuqam: Husband kills wife Shabnam Akhtar , Burns Body to Destroy Evidenc

A woman who had been missing since October last year was found murdered in Ashmuqam area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, with her husband and mother-in-law emerging as prime accused in the crime, police said on Friday.

The deceased, identified as Shabnam Akhtar, was allegedly murdered by her husband Imran Khan, a laborer from Halmulla Hapatnad, Ashmuqam Pahalgam, with the help of his mother, police revealed during the investigation.

The shocking case came to light after police intensified their probe into Shabnam’s disappearance. According to a senior police officer, Imran Khan, 35, confessed during questioning that he, along with his mother, killed Shabnam on October 4, 2024, and later burned her body in their cowshed to destroy evidence.

Acting on his confession, a police team, accompanied by a Duty Magistrate, Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team, and the accused, visited the crime scene. During the investigation, officials recovered hair, some bones, and the deceased woman’s cellphone, which were sealed before the Duty Magistrate for further forensic examination, the officer said.

A formal case (FIR No. 01/2025) under sections 103(1) BNS and 61(2) BNS has been registered against Imran Khan and his mother, Noor Hassan, wife of Mouz Ud Din Khan. Both accused have been arrested and sent to jail.

The case has sent shockwaves through the area with residents demanding strict punishment for those responsible.