Kupwara: Scores of people on Saturday staged protest demonstration in this north Kashmir district, demanding justice for Asifa, the 8-year-old girl who was brutally “raped” and killed in Kathua. Asifa
The girl found dead in the forests near her native village Rasana in Hiranagar on Wednesday, had been missing since January 10 when she had taken some horses for watering in the neighbourhood.
Scores of people under the banner of Gujjar and Bakerwal Union were chanting slogans, “Asifa Ko Insaaf Do (Justice for Asifa)” during the demonstration. “We want justice for Asifa. Culprits should be to serve as deterrent in future.”
The protests coincided with ruckus created by Opposition members in the state legislative assembly, presently in its Budget Session.
The government has already ordered suspension of concerned SHO as Opposition MLAs protested in assembly alleging the cops are ‘hushing-up’ the case.
The legislators from NC and Congress including Ali Mohammad Sagar, Shamima Firdous, Mian Altaf, Altaf Kaloo, Vikar Rasool, Abdul Majeed Larmi and Usman Majeed protested in the House, demanding strict action against those responsible for “rape and murder of 8-year-old girl” at Rasana area of Hiranagar in Kathua district.
BJP MLA for Kathua constituency stood up from his chair and said: “you are playing politics on religion basis and you want to communalize the issue.”
The MLA Kathua’s remarks triggered protests in the House, and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri, and Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation Javid Mustafa Mir calm down the situation by asking the opposition that government equally shares the concern.
The legislators amid protests shouted that cops including SHO and DSP were hushing up the case and their complexity is writ large.
“How can 15-year-old kill the minor girl alone and subsequently take the body from the cowshed and dump her body some three kilometers away”, the legislators questioned and demanded suspension of the concerned SHO and other officers.
Meanwhile, Law Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri informed the House that government has ordered the suspension of concerned SHO till further inquiry.
“No one will be spared and action will be initiated against those responsible for the murder”, Veeri said.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti tweeted and condemned the “heinous” incident.
“Outraged by the heinous incident in which a young Bakerwal girl has lost her life. Incidents like this will be investigated expeditiously & the guilty will be punished,” Mehbooba tweeted.
