By TwoCircles.net Staff reporter
The Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) on Wednesday, January 31 expressed serious apprehensions on the role of police and the local BJP MLA in the alleged rape and murder of an eight-year-old tribal girl in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Linking the case of alleged rape and murder of tribal girl to climate of impunity and human rights violations in the state, the civil society has said that the case reveals the vulnerability of communities living in highly militarised border areas.
“Members of the Gujjar – Bakarwal community, a predominantly Muslim minority community in the Jammu region, has had a long history of persecution, exploitation, violence, and displacement at the hands of the state forces due to their nomadic lifestyle, and knowledge of the local terrain,” said JKCCS in a statement issued to the press.
“Increased militarisation and high incidences of sexual violence have particularly affected lives of Gujjar – Bakerwal women, who must try to earn a living in these precarious and violent conditions. The ‘exceptional’ circumstances of border life, including denial of access to their villages and grazing grounds, landmines, and frequent shelling, means that an issue like sexual violence fades into the background,” reads the statement.
JKCCS further said that the case requires greater attention, and follow up to prevent communalisation and impunity for perpetrators.
“Despite the local community having a strong inkling of the identity of the perpetrators, after the child’s body was recovered, a single individual— ‘15-year-old boy’ was arrested as the sole culprit.The case also exposes a long-standing pattern of communalizing issues that take place in Jammu, by local and Jammu politicians, particularly from the BJP.”
The civil society group has appealed to women’s groups and civil society in Jammu and elsewhere to come out in support of the local Gujjar – Bakerwal community’s struggle for justice, and closely monitor developments in the case to prevent the miscarriage of justice, and intimidation of witnesses.
It has further asked the authorities to ensure that there is a fair and time-bound investigation in this case and greater transparency and disclosure of information to the public to settle local concerns of a cover-up.
On Wednesday, January 17, 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.
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 an outrage in the Legislative assembly which prompted the government to release him on Tuesday, January 23. Talib has also alleged local BJP MLA of trying to influence the case by asking the local SHO to take care of the age of the accused.