June 10, 2019 by admin

Kathua case verdict today, security up in Pathankot

Pathankot

A three-tier security has been put in place by the Pathankot police ahead of the Kathua case verdict by Pathankot District and Sessions Judge Tejwinder Singh on Monday.

According to the 5,600-word chargesheet filed by the Crime Branch on April 9, an eight-year-old girl of the minority Bakerwal community was kidnapped on January 10 last year.

The girl was allegedly kept in captivity in a small village temple in Kathua district after being kept sedated for four days, raped repeatedly and strangled to death. Her body was found near Kathua on January 17. The incident triggered public outrage.

Several political outfits, including the J&K-based Panthers Party, demanded a CBI probe. This demand was rejected by the then J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. Right-wing groups staged protests against the arrests of eight persons, with ministers Lal Singh Chaudhury and Chander Prakash, attending one of the protests. On May 7, 2018, the Supreme Court shifted the case to Pathankot and ordered in-camera proceedings.

The accused were proceeded against under Sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy).

The police claimed the crime was executed by Sanjhi Ram, a retired government employee, his nephew, said to be a juvenile, and SPO Deepak Khajuria.

Pathankot SSP Vivek Sheel Soni said he had formed a special team for security arrangements. All accused are lodged in the Gurdaspur Central Jail.