By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
Jammu: On Thursday, January 18, Jammu and Kashmir woke up to a terrible news of the death of an eight-year-old tribal girl, a week after she went missing while doing household chores.
The girl belonging to the nomadic Bakarwal community was found dead in Rasana village of Hiranagar, in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir and the family has alleged that she was raped before the murder. Mohammad Yousuf, the girl’s father, told News 18 that her modesty was outraged. She bore torture marks on her face and some other body parts, he said.
“She was bitten on her lips. There were marks of violence on her thigh and face,” he cried, as dozens of mourners arrived at his home for condolence.
“We kept searching for her for last seven days and went to forests and villages around but she could not be found anywhere. We also approached the police but they took the issue very lightly,” Javeed Khan, maternal uncle of the girl was quoted by News 18.
On Friday, January 19, the Minister for Revenue & Parliamentary Affairs, Abdul Rehman Veeri informed the legislative assembly that the police have arrested the accused and he has confessed to the crime.
He said the investigation conducted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by SDPO border Chadwal revealed that the accused kidnapped the minor girl and put 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 the accused has been arrested and further investigations are on.
On Sunday, January 21, when a group of protesters was taking out a candlelight march on Kathua highway, the police deployed used tear gas shells and baton charged to disperse the protesters and arrested Advocate Talib Hussain, a tribal activist. The police alleged Talib of creating “law and order” problem.
The arrest of activists led to outrage in the Legislative assembly which prompted the government to release him on Tuesday, January 23.
“We are demanding a judicial probe under the chairmanship of a sitting judge. The case has political people involved in it. The local BJP MLA is trying to shield the accused and when I was protesting against it, the police arrested me,” Talib Hussain told TwoCircles.net.
“This is not the first such case where tribals are at receiving end. Many such cases have happened before but couldn’t gain the public attention. We will continue to protest and will even go for statewide agitation if the family is not given justice,” he added.
The murder of eight-year-old tribal girl has led to protests in different parts of the state even after the government claimed to have arrested the accused.
The students of Degree College Poonch on Tuesday also staged a protest in Poonch town against the alleged rape and murder of a tribal girl demanding immediate action against those involved.
A group of people from Gujjar community who alleged government of not providing them justice also held a protest in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Tuesday, demanding justice and threatened of an agitation by the community in case no swift action is taken.
“We are more than 26 lakh in population. If they fail to provide us justice, it would be a full-fledged revolt,” a protester was quoted as saying by Greater Kashmir.
Jammu Muslim Front (JMF) has also condemned the brutal murder of the tribal girl and termed the“Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” programme of Prime Minister, a fake slogan.
“It is the failure of Government machinery especially the Police work who have not been able to pledge such incidents.The recent act of rape has proved that J&K is no longer a safe place for the girl child,” JMF said in a statement.
On Tuesday, the Parliamentary Affairs minister, Abdul Rehman Veeri informed the house that the case of the tribal girl has been handed over to the Crime Branch, three days after a magisterial inquiry was ordered. Last week, the government also suspended the Station House Officer of Hiranagar police station for not taking swift action in the case.
CPI (M) leader and MLA Kulgam Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said that the gruesome murder of a tender soul is a slap on this PDP-BJP government, which has entirely failed to safeguard its citizens.
“Why didn’t police take prompt action when the family of the victim approached them? If the police had taken timely action, the precious life of an eight-year-old girl could have been saved,” he said in a statement. On Wednesday, January 24, J&K RTI Movement, Civil Society for Justice & Development, Gujjar- Bakerwal Foundation, Gujjar-Bakerwal Youth Conference, SAIRAB held also held a joint sit-in protest at Srinagar Press Enclave against the alleged rape and murder of eight-year-old tribal girl.