Protests enter 5th day in Jammu districts over Kishtwar minor’s rape, death
Jammu : In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, protests demanding justice for a minor schoolgirl from Chatroo in Kishtwar district entered the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday, with demonstrations spreading further across the other districts of Jammu region as anger over bureaucratic and administrative inaction grew.
According to Kashmir Media Service, students, tribal community members, traders, political workers and civil society groups continued to stage sit-ins and marches, demanding a transparent, time-bound investigation and the strictest punishment for those found guilty.
The protests were triggered by the death of the minor girl who suffered sexual assault by a government school teacher and subsequently became pregnant. Her condition deteriorated following an attempt to terminate the pregnancy, and she died while being shifted for specialised medical treatment.
Protesters in Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban districts reiterated their demand for a fast-track probe and exemplary punishment, saying the case had shaken public confidence and required urgent accountability.
Students of various government and private schools took out a peaceful protest rally in Kishtwar town, raising slogans seeking justice and demanding strict legal action against the accused and anyone else whose role emerges during investigation. In Sartingal area of Bhaderwah in Doda district, schoolchildren staged a major protest, condemning the incident.
In Chatroo, Kishtwar members of the tribal community held a dharna at the native place of the deceased girl, urging that all those involved in the assault, attempted termination and concealment of facts be brought under investigation.
The demand for a fast-track trial has gathered wider support. Senior National Conference leader and MP Mian Altaf Ahmed called for a comprehensive, time-bound investigation and a dedicated fast-track court with day-to-day hearings, saying the guilty must face the most stringent punishment.
Observers and civil society groups in IIOJK noted a sharp increase in such incidents against minors and women across IIOJK and India since the BJP came to power in New Delhi in 2014. They said the climate of impunity, coupled with the targeting of marginalized communities, has emboldened perpetrators while eroding public trust in institutions meant to ensure justice and accountability.
