SRINAGAR: The PDP-BJP coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir has ordered magisterial probe into the abduction, ‘rape’ and murder of 8-year-old girl in Kathua district of the State while the main accused in the crime, who is a 15-year-old boy, has been arrested by Special Investigation Team (SIT) of police probing the incident.
After the opposition members today raised their voice against the alleged abduction, rape and murder of 8-year-old girl Asifa, Minister for Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs, Abdul Rehman Veeri informed the Legislative Assembly in Jammu that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident and guilty won’t be spared and taken to task.
8-year-old Asifa d/o Mohammad Yousuf R/o Rassana Mohara village in Hira Nagar area of Kathua district had gone missing on January 10 after she had gone for grazing horses in the nearby forest area. Her family had lodged an FIR in police station Hira Nagar next day.
Her body with torture marks was recovered from about one and a half kilometres from her residence on Wednesday.
The minister disclosed that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by police to probe the crime has arrested the main accused, who is 15-years-old.
“The accused has confessed kidnapping the minor girl and putting her in a nearby cowshed at village Rassana, where he attempted to rape her and when she resisted, he killed her by way of strangulation,” he said.
Veeri said further investigation is going on to collect more evidence about the commission of offence by the accused.
A senior Gujjar leader of the area, Talib Hussain told New Indian Express on phone that had police acted on time, the life of the minor girl could have been saved.
“The police conducted only one search operation in the forest area in the week in which the girl was missing. They did not search her in the area close to her residence and in the nearby areas,” he said.
Talib said the women, who performed ablution of Asifa’s body told them that she has been raped.
“They also said there were torture marks and human bites on her body. She was also allegedly given electric shocks. There were marks of human teeth on her cheeks and other parts of body. Her arms and legs were broken,” he alleged.
The Gujjar leader said surprisingly the doctor’s are yet to submit their medical report confirming the sexual assault with the minor girl.
“When the women giving ablution to Asifa’s body can know that she has been sexually assaulted, how come doctors don’t know it,” he said and alleged that authorities were trying to shield the main culprit.
He said the family members of the deceased girl gave names of two suspects to police.
Talib urged the government to act swiftly against the culprits and ensure that they get severe punishment for their crimes.