J&K’s Kishtwar district administration on Tuesday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the alleged sexual assault of a 15-year-old Hindu girl by a member of another community in Marwah area on Saturday, after protests by locals over the incident escalated following alleged police high-handedness.
Kishtwar SSP Abdul Qayoom said an FIR had been registered under the Pocso Act and two youths had been detained.
Marwah SHO Zaheer Iqbal, who allegedly ordered a lathicharge at the protesters, had been attached to district police lines, said sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), Mohammad Ashraf. The SHO was accused by protesters of shielding the accused and his family.
Following the alleged sexual assault, angry villagers ransacked the house of the accused, who fled along with his family, said the SDM. “However, when the family returned on Monday, the situation again took an ugly turn as villagers tried to attack them,” he added.
The SDM said he visited the village in a bid to defuse the situation.
Referring to certain videos circulating on social media, he said a group of 20-30 women, who were participating in a protest march, “were stopped and being pacified, but due to resistance, one girl got injured”. However, the Kishtwar DM had taken cognisance of the matter, and the authenticity of the video clips was being ascertained, the official added.
The SDM appealed to people to maintain peace and warned that those found exploiting the incident to vitiate the atmosphere would be dealt with strictly.
Condemning the incident, Sanatan Dharam Sabha Dachhan submitted a memorandum to the DM and the SSP, seeking security for the minority Hindu community in Hanzel and Chanjer areas, and also an alternative arrangement so that girls don’t have to travel long districts through forest areas to reach school.
Kishtwar SSP Abdul Qayoom said an FIR had been registered under the Pocso Act and two youths had been detained.
Marwah SHO Zaheer Iqbal, who allegedly ordered a lathicharge at the protesters, had been attached to district police lines, said sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), Mohammad Ashraf. The SHO was accused by protesters of shielding the accused and his family.
Following the alleged sexual assault, angry villagers ransacked the house of the accused, who fled along with his family, said the SDM. “However, when the family returned on Monday, the situation again took an ugly turn as villagers tried to attack them,” he added.
The SDM said he visited the village in a bid to defuse the situation.
Referring to certain videos circulating on social media, he said a group of 20-30 women, who were participating in a protest march, “were stopped and being pacified, but due to resistance, one girl got injured”. However, the Kishtwar DM had taken cognisance of the matter, and the authenticity of the video clips was being ascertained, the official added.
The SDM appealed to people to maintain peace and warned that those found exploiting the incident to vitiate the atmosphere would be dealt with strictly.
Condemning the incident, Sanatan Dharam Sabha Dachhan submitted a memorandum to the DM and the SSP, seeking security for the minority Hindu community in Hanzel and Chanjer areas, and also an alternative arrangement so that girls don’t have to travel long districts through forest areas to reach school.