Push the Offenders

In a rare case of affirmative action in Jammu and Kashmir,a judicial commission is taking steps against officials for failing to discharge their duty in bringing the Shopian rape case culprits to justice.Shopian superintendent of police Javaid Iqbal Muttu,quoting doctors who were neither competent nor authorised to perform the post-mortem,had shockingly covered up the rape and murder of two women on May 30 by declaring it as "death due to drowning".While the Omar Abdullah government has already suspended five officials,including Mr Muttu,in relation to this case,an independent judicial commission promises more dismissals of other senior police,civil administration and medical officials in the near future.It is heartening to see that such instances of gross misconduct are finally starting to get noticed by authorities,and that wrongdoers are being punished accordingly.