SRINAGAR: Taking suo motu cognizance of the rape of a three-year-old girl in Kashmir’s Bandipora district, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Wednesday directed the Kashmir Police to file a status report by Friday.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Tashi Rabstan, took suo moto cognisance of the May 8 rape. The court directed IGP Kashmir SP P Pani to file a status report before 10 am on May 17. The court directed the IGP to file a report regarding steps taken for effective investigation and protection given to the victim and her family. It also issued a notice to the J&K government through secretary, department of health and medical education (H&ME) and Jammu & Kashmir State Legal Services Authority (JKSLSA).
The health department was directed to submit a report on steps taken regarding medical examination, treatment and counselling of the victim.
The division bench also directed JKSLSA to submit a report on the effective legal aid provided to the victim and release of compensation admissible to the victim.
The court appointed Advocate Farah Bashir as amicus curiae to assist the court and directed her to submit details of the incident, which has been published in print and electronic media and which may be in violation of Section 23 of Jammu and Kashmir Protection of Children from Sexual Violence Ordinance, 2018.
On May 8, the minor was raped by her neighbour Tahir Ahmed Mir, who lured her into the washroom of a school.