Srinagar Court Sentences Man to Life Imprisonment in 2020 Mosque Murder Case
SRINAGAR, AUGUST 7 — A court in Srinagar has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for committing a murder inside a mosque in 2020. The court convicted Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Dar, a resident of Bichwara in the Dalgate area of Srinagar, under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code for the murder of Abdul Gani Dar, a resident of Rassu in Budgam district.
The case originated from FIR No. 03/2020 registered at Police Station Maisuma.Along with the life sentence, the court imposed a fine of ₹50,000 on the convict, which will be awarded as compensation to the legal heirs of the deceased upon realization. The convict will also receive a set-off for the period he has already spent in judicial custody.
During the hearing, the court noted that while the offense was grave and heinous, it did not fall into the rarest of rare categories required for the death penalty.While passing the judgment, the court expressed serious concern over the fact that the assault took place inside a mosque, highlighting that violence in a place of worship undermines public peace, communal harmony, and the sanctity of sacred institutions.
Additionally, observing the financial hardship faced by the victim’s dependent children, the court directed the release of ₹7 lakh as victim compensation under the Jammu and Kashmir Victim Compensation Scheme, 2019, through the Jammu and Kashmir State Legal Services Authority.
Police officials attributed the conviction to detailed investigation, scientific evidence, and effective prosecution.