Kathua rape-murder case: Charge-sheet submitted against 7 accused amid lawyers protest

JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir Crime Branch on Monday presented in the court of Kathua’s Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) a charge-sheet against seven people accused of raping and murdering an eight-year old Asifa Bano, a ‘Bakerwal’ (Nomadic) girl.

Some lawyers protested and prevented the crime branch of Jammu and Kashmir police at the time of filing the charge-sheet, leading to a chaotic situation, police sources said. Later reinforcement had to be called to the spot to tackle the situation.

High Drama outside CJM Court in Kathua.Lawyers prevented Crime Branch from filing chargesheet into gang rape and murder of 8 year of nomad girl.police reinforcement rushed to facilitate the entry of CB officials into the court. pic.twitter.com/2MTUvnf5rx

— Nazir Masoodi (@nazir_masoodi) April 9, 2018

“The seven accused are 60-year-old Sanji Ram, Special Police Officers Deepak Khajuria and Surender Verma, Sub-Inspector Anand Dutta, Head Constable Tilak Raj, civilian Parvesh Kumar and Sanji’s minor son Vishala,” police said.

The charge-sheet against the juvenile was separately presented.

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday reprimanded the irate lawyers at a court in Kathua and tweeted, “Shame on them & their political masters. An 8 year old girl is raped & murdered and these so called lawyers do not want to see justice delivered,” tweeted Omar Abdullah.

Shame on them & their political masters. An 8 year old girl is raped & murdered and these so called lawyers do not want to see justice delivered. https://t.co/7624zoYnAR

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 9, 2018

The Bakherwal girl, from a nomad Muslim community was allegedly kidnapped, sedated and raped for several days at a temple before she was murdered. The body was recovered from Rassana forest in Kathua district on January 17, a week after the gruesome the killing.

The incident shocked the entire state and triggered communal tension and protests from both communities. After a public outcry, investigations of the case were transferred from local police to the Crime Branch.

–IANS inputs