Sopore: Police on Monday claimed to have solved a mysterious murder case of a missing goldsmith in Sopore town of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

SSP Sopore Dr Harmeet Singh Metha told reporters that Sopore police has solved the murder case of a missing goldsmith, Tariq Ahmed Malik. Though his body has not been recovered yet, police has arrested four suspects.

Malik, 32, son of Ghulam Rasool of Kalaroos Kupwara had gone missing on December 26, last year from his shop ‘Carrat line Gold Shop’ at Chota Bazar in Sopore.

Police said that they have arrested four persons identified as Mohammad Sajad Lara son of Mohammad Afzal Lara, Mohammad Adil Lara son of Mohammad Afzal Lara resident of Muslimpeer Sopore, Ghulam Mohammad Lara son of Ghulam Qadir Lara, and Nayeem Ahmad Lara son of Ghulam Mohammad Lara resident of Ashpeer Sopore.

The accused, according to the police had abducted the victim, strangulated him to death and threw the body in the Jhelum river.

“The motive for the crime was to extort jewellery and money from Malik, who owned a jewellery shop at Chota Bazar in Sopore,” the spokesperson said.

The vehicle used in the crime, gold jewellery worth lakhs of rupees and some cash have been seized from the accused, he said.

He further said that soon after the missing report was filed, a special investigation team was constituted by Sopore police to trace out the missing shopkeeper.

SSP Sopore further added the efforts are on to trace out the missing body.

Pertinently, trade body Sopore had also called a one-day shutdown against the incident after Tariq Malik went missing. The trade body was apprehensive about some foul play as the gold lockers of Tariq’s shop were empty and all the gold ornaments and some cash was missing too. 

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