Kathua rape, murder case: Satisfied with CB investigation, says Dy CM

Srinagar, Apr 13: Blaming Congress and Panther’s party for communalizing the Asifa’s rape and murder case, the Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh Friday said that the BJP was satisfied with the investigation of crime branch in Asifa’s rape and murder case.
“The murder of the eight -year-old girl was shocking. No sane person will support such criminal act. A fair inquiry was held in the case by the crime branch and BJP is satisfied with the investigation,” Nirmal Singh told KNS over phone from Jammu.
Singh, while responding to questions on presence of the two BJP Ministers in the recently-held rally at kathua by the Hindu Ekta Manch, said that both the ministers had informed the party that they had gone there only to defuse the tension. “The Ministers had told the party that they were not there to take side but to assure that the culprits will be punished.” Singh maintained.
Two senior BJP ministers Lal Singh and Prakash Chander Ganga while addressing a rally in Kathua on March 4, organized by Hindu Ekta Manch, a fringe right-wing outfit protesting against the arrest of a Hindu man accused in the gruesome Asifa rape and murder case, had called the crime branch investigation, monitored by the high court, “jungle raj”. They had also demanded a CBI inquiry into the incident.
Reacting to the outrage expressed by the people and the opposition Nirmal Singh asserted that the state government took a call as soon as it heard about the incident.
Singh alleged that the Opposition was “communalizing” the incident. “It is unfortunate that politics is being played over the rape and murder of a minor girl,” he maintained.
He said that Criminals have no religion and that all communities are concerned by what happened to the girl.
He however said that those who are not satisfied with the investigation can go wherever they like. “Justice should be done to her. There shouldn’t be politics on that. Criminals who did it have no religion.” he maintained.
It is to mention here that an eight-year-old Muslim nomadic girl was allegedly abducted, drugged, raped, tortured and killed in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir. After being missing for a week, her body was found on January 17.
A special team of Jammu and Kashmir crime branch has made a case of conspiracy, kidnapping, wrongful confinement, gang rape, murder and destruction of evidence against eight accused, which include four policemen.
However, the lawyers of Jammu Bar Association have demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the case. They have allegedly questioned the credibility of the Crime Branch officials, who according to them are mostly from Kashmir.