Kathua girl murder row: Gujjar community threatens agitation if culprits not booked forthwith

Anantnag: The relatives of eight-year-old Asifa Bano who was allegedly raped and subsequently murdered in Kathua last week held a protest in south Kashmir’s Anantnag on Tuesday, and threatened of an agitation by the Gujjar community in case the authorities fail to book the culprits forthwith.
Carrying placards, the agitated relatives staged a protest outside the office of the Deputy Commissioner Anantnag to demand an independent probe into the incident.
“What had this minor done? She was with her family as part of our nomadic practice,” said the relatives of Asifa.
They added that perpetrators of this ‘heinous’ crime should be arrested forthwith.
Saying that if the government failed to provide them justice, whole Gujjar community would come on roads. “We are more than 26 lakh in population. If they fail to provide us justice, it would be a full fledged revolt,” threatened the relatives. Asifa, a nomad girl from Gujjar and Bakerwal community actually hails from Anantnag’s Brari Aangan village in Shangus.
She was abducted on January 10 in Kathua, where her family was camping as part of their nomadic practice. Her body was recovered on the outskirts of her native village on January 17 with marks of violence all over her body.
Her death triggered protests inside and outside the Assembly, with protesters and the opposition seeking action against the police for “not making efforts” to trace her after she was abducted.
In a damage-control move, the government suspended the local SHO for “lax” approach.
On Tuesday, Jammu and Kashmir government said that it has handed over her case to the Crime Branch.
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rehman Veeri informed the house that the case has been handed over to Crime Branch.