The High Court in India-controlled Kashmir has directed the police to exhume bodies of the two women in Shopian, whose death on May 30 triggered widespread protests and violence, a court official Saturday said.

The court has asked for fresh post-mortem to be conducted for collection of new DNA samples from the bodies of victims. However, the exhumation is subject to the consent of families of the victims, said the official pleading anonymity.

"The court found the report submitted by the special investigation team (SIT) inconclusive, for DNA report was missing and the post-mortem seemed not to have been carried out in proper way. Therefore, the Chief Justice, Barin Gosh opined exhumation of the bodies of two women for collecting the DNA samples. But that is subject to the consent of their family," said a High Court official.

The Court has also directed the investigation team to interrogate and put to narco-analysis test all the four suspended police officials including former superintendent of police.

These officials were accused by the local government appointed Justice (Retired) Muzaffar Jan Commission of not having investigated the case properly and thereby contributing to the destruction, dissipation and suppression of evidence in the case.

On May 30, the two women aged 17 and 23 years were found dead under mysterious circumstances in Shopian town, 50 kilometers south of Srinagar, the summer capital of India-controlled Kashmir.

Locals alleged the duo were first raped and then murdered. They suspected the hand of Indian troopers in the incident.

Police first denied the allegations and cited drowning as the reason underlying their death.

However, the forensic reports later on suggested rape and murder of the duo and forced the police to register the case accordingly.

The entire region particularly Muslim dominated areas witnessed massive protests demanding identification of the culprits in the incident.

Meanwhile, the shutdown in Shopian town Saturday entered 36th day. The locals are demanding the identification of main culprits.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had termed the Shopian incident disturbing and unfortunate.

Source: Xinhua