Srinagar: Most of the markets across Kashmir remained shut on Monday to express solidarity with the 3 year old rape victim of Sumbal area while protests continued to be held against the shocking incident that has rocked Kashmir Valley during the holy month of Ramazan.
There has been widespread outrage in Kashmir over the gruesome incident. A 3-year-old girl was raped by a neighbour in mid twenties at Malikpora village in the Tirgam area of Sumbal, in Bandipora district. Ittehadul-Muslimeen, a Hurriyat constituent led by Maulana Abbas Ansari, had called for today’s strike.
In a statement here, Itehadul Muslimeen president Maulana Masroor Abbas Ansari termed the rape of three-year-old girl as a blot on the face of humanity. The presence of people with such ill intentions are detrimental for the society known for upholding its moral values for centuries. There is a dire need for evolving a joint strategy to deal with these elements, he said.
Demanding a stern punishment for the culprit Maulana Masroor said, “There should be no leniency given to the person involved in this act, adding, “While victim is battling for her life, efforts are being made to save the culprit which is a matter of serious concern”.
He urged people of Kashmir to forge unity on all fronts and not to get swayed by rumours being spread by vested interests working to trigger sectarian frenzy in Kashmir. Some agencies are working hard to fuel the sectarian frenzy and its high time for people of all sects to remain united and seek an exemplary punishment for the culprit, he said.
Meanwhile protests continued across various parts of the valley with peop;le demanding a fast track trial of the culprit Tahir Mir who is in police custody.
A certificate issued by the institute “Islamic Education Trust” Tirgam has caused rage among the protesters with demands growing for the arrest of its principal.
The certificate has gone viral on social media which refers the culprit as a minor.
The J&K Police has arrested the accused rapist who is stated to be a paedophile and may have abused many local minor girls.
The residents of Malikpora village staged a demonstration at Srinagar demanding the culprit to be hanged.
While various political, social and religious organisations of the Valley have demanded a fast-track investigation into the case and exemplary punishment for the culprit, former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti sought application of Islamic Sharia law, which calls for death penalty for such offenses as a punishment.
On Sunday, massive protests were held by angry crowds in various parts of the valley’s Bandipore, Budgam and Baramulla districts besides Srinagar against the incident.
At places, the police used force to break up these protests, the witnesses said. The protesters were demanding death for the accused. They criticised the management of a local school for certifying that the accused is a minor and demanded impartial probe into the entire incident.
The incident has occurred barely a year after an 8-year-old girl belonging to a nomadic Bakarwal community in Jammu’s Kathua district was gang-raped, drugged and murdered by the acquaintances of a local temple priest and policemen. The incident had shocked Kashmir and led to months of protests.
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