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A judicial probe of the rape and murder of two Kashmiri women shows the involvement of Indian police, an official said on Friday.

Four police officials and a forensic expert have been accused of suppressing evidence in the rape and murder of the women.

The killing of a 17-year-old girl and her 22-year-old sister-in-law has sparked widespread demonstrations in the disputed Kashmir Valley since their bodies were found in a stream on May 29.

Indian forces killed four protesters and wounded hundreds during the mass demonstrations.

Locals say the two women, aged 17 and 22, were abducted, raped and killed by security forces.

Authorities confirmed that the women were raped and ordered an investigation.

Indian police had rejected that they had drowned, despite allegations from family members that they were abducted, raped and murdered by members of the security forces deployed in the revolt-hit region.

But the probe shows that Indian police committed the recent crime against women.

Abdul Rahim Rather, the state's financial minister said, said that Indian police involved the rape and murder of two woman, citing the Commission of Inquiry's report on Friday.

"The government has accepted the recommendations of the Commission and necessary follow-up action has been duly initiated," Rather told a news conference.

He said that an indictment had been handed to a special investigation team, pending the likely arrest of the five suspects.

Earlier this week, hundreds of Kashmiris took to the streets to protest the killing of a 20-year-old man, who they said was killed by security forces after they arrested him.

Police have again denied the charge.

In fresh demonstrations on Friday, thousands of people marched towards an army camp in Kupwara in northern Kashmir, blaming the murder of a girl the day before on a soldier.

Shops, businesses and schools were closed across the Kashmir valley to protest the latest incident, the tenth in recent weeks that has been blamed on Indian troops and the police.

Indian security forces have been accused in the past of human rights violations, including rape and extrajudicial killings.

Authorities deny any systematic violations and say all reports are investigated and the guilty punished.

Tens of thousands of Muslims have been killed since pro-independent moves grew against Indian rule in 1989.

In 1948, the United Nations adopted a resolution calling for a referendum for Kashmir to determine whether the Himalayan region should be part of India and Pakistan. But India has rejected to hold referendum in Kashmiri territory.

Source; www.worldbulletin.net