Kashmir vice chancellor's murder accused arrested - after 24 years

One of the men involved in the 1990 abduction and murder of then Kashmir University Vice Chancellor Masheer-ul-Haq has been arrested here Monday, police said.

"Srinagar police today (Monday) arrested an accused involved in the killing of the then Vice Chancellor of Kashmir University, Professor Masheer-ul-Haq. The accused was absconding since April 6, 1990," a police officer told IANS.

According to the officer, Srinagar police zeroed on Hilal Ahmad Sheikh, son of Ghulam Nabi, and resident of Naid Doori, accused in the murder case.

"The case was investigated by CBI. The accused was evading arrest and was declared an absconder in the murder case," he said, adding that Sheikh was apprehended from an area under the Zadibal police station after specific information regarding his presence in the area.

Sheikh was then produced before the court of chief judicial magistrate, Srinagar.

Masheer-ul-Haq and his secretary, Abdul Gani, were kidnapped from Kashmir University campus in 1990 and later killed by the abductors sending shock waves among the academicians and the general public in the state.