Justice eludes victim’s family

Srinagar: A year has passed since a minor girl was brutally raped and murdered in Rasana village of Kathua district in the state. The family of the victim is still living in trauma and far from getting any justice. However, political leaders are busy scoring brownie points over the tragedy.

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehbooba Mufti, who was the Chief Minister when the incident occurred, has claimed that she tried her best for speedy justice to the family and lost power in the process as she “refused to give any relief to the rapists under the garb of nationalism.”

The family belonging to the Bakerwal community, is still facing social boycott in the village. The victim’s father told the media that no one in the village talked to them and they had been isolated.

Fearing any attack on the family, the district administration of Kathua has set up a police post outside their house. He said that the police post was erected after they received threats from the neighbours on a daily basis.

The social boycott is taking its toll on the family as the Rasana villagers have decided not to sell anything to them and they have to buy even fodder for their livestock from the far-off village of Kota.

On 17 January last year, the girl’s body was found lying in the forests near Rasana. She was killed after being raped by her kidnappers. According to the report submitted by the State Crime Branch to the trial court, her kidnapping and murder was aimed at driving out the nomadic community from the hills of Rasana village.

As the arrest of the alleged murderers resulted in mass agitation in Kathua and Rasana, the case was shifted out of Jammu to a court in Punjab’s Pathankot.

Taking a dig at Mufti, who as the Chief Minister had promised speedy justice to the family, the victim’s father told the media that even after one year, they are being told that it will take more time. The family has claimed that they were living under threat as the villagers are telling them that the accused would be released and they will not spare the family.