Kathua horror: 8-year-old sedated, gang-raped, murdered brutally. Humanity just died.
The chargesheet in the gangrape-murder of an eight-year-old in Kathua, J&K, has revealed chilling details. The girl was sedated and gang-raped repeatedly in a temple for days. One rapist came from Meerut to "satisfy his lust." A policeman wanted to rape her "one last time" before she was brutally murdered. Has humanity died?
Sanji Ram, the main accused, wanted to drive out the nomadic Muslim Bakarwals, who, according to Hindus, indulge in drug trafficking. He roped in his nephew, who confided in his friend Parvesh, and his other friend, Special Police Officer Deepak Khajuria. On January 10, the nephew and Parvesh then kidnapped the girl who "often comes to the forests for grazing horses."
After abducting her, both took turns to rape her in the jungle. In bitter irony, they later took her to a temple, or 'Devasthan,' run by Sanji, and sedated her. The next day, her parents went to Sanji, looking for her, but he "told them that she may have gone to some relative's house." For four days, they kept her drugged and didn't feed her.
The nephew also called up Sanji's son Vishal from Meerut "to satisfy his lust." She was raped repeatedly by the nephew, Parvesh and Vishal. Just before they killed her, Khajuria asked them to wait "as he wanted to rape the girl." On January 14, the nephew strangulated her, then smashed her head with a stone. They dumped the body in the nearby Rassana forest.
Meanwhile, Sanji had settled deals with three other cops, who had started searching for the girl. Head constable Tilak Raj and SI Anand Dutta agreed to scuttle the probe for Rs. 5L, and tampered with evidence. Special Officer Surinder Kumar helped conducted a recce of Devasthan.
Locals have alleged Hindus are being targeted and that police is biased. Lawyers also prevented officials from filing a chargesheet. The Hindu Ekta Manch launched rallies supporting the accused. Politicians, including BJP ministers Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga, backed the movement. Police now want "neutral" Sikh officers brought in, but a CBI investigation, as demanded by some quarters, will ensure fair probe.
All over the world, nomads have been discriminated against, attacked, feared. But the traditional Hindus in Jammu have by and large remained peaceful. However, the influx of Rohingya Muslims and the ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits in J&K have made the region religiously volatile. Kashmiri Hindus are still living in their homeland as refugees while Rohingya settlements increase. This can lead to feelings of anger and frustration.
However despicable this incident was, this wasn't the first and likely won't be the last. Rapes on religious lines have happened worldwide, so the "liberal" media blaming Hindus is uncalled for. But this incident has highlighted the lack of safety for women and children. Now is the time for PM Modi to speak, and we hope he does that sooner rather than later.
