Category: Jammu

Jammu

Conspiracy to evict the nomads behind Kathua rape and murder

Editor

The “conspiracy” allegedly orchestrated by Shanji Ram, principal accused responsible for the abduction, rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl of Rasana, to evict the nomads from the Kathua was responsible for the incident. At least three accused in the case, were against the “settlement” of Bakkarwals in the area that led to the horrific crime in January. The enmity among the majority Hindu community against the nomadic Bakkarwals has the two main reasons behind it: “one acquiring land by Bakkarwals and second animal grazing in forest pastures of Rasana,…

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Kathua Rape & Murder accused plead not guilty, next hearing on April 28

Editor

The accused also asked for narco tests to establish the truth in the horrific gang rape and murder case. All eight accused in the rape and murder case of a minor nomadic girl pleaded not guilty on the opening day of the trial in the principal district and sessions court in Kathua on Monday which posted the next hearing in the case for April 28. On the first day of the hearing day, the counsels of the eight accused advocates Ankur Sharma and Aseem Sawhney told judge Sanjeev Gupta that…

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In a Kashmir Valley, a Massive Dam Threatens to Wash Away Lives

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There are few roads in the Marwah Valley, and those that exist are snowed under during the winter. For the most part, there is no electricity. Snow leopards, ibexes and other endangered animals shelter in the high peaks, while some of the continent’s mightiest rivers rush through lush valleys. The area feels remote, but it’s far from empty. The Marusudar River – a tributary to the Chenab River, which first forms in India before flowing deep into Pakistan – is bounded on both sides by houses. Fields show signs that…

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Our ministers are not pro-rapists, BJP counters allegations over Kathua rape and murder case

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday attempted to douse the controversy that erupted after two of its ministers in Jammu and Kashmir attended a rally supporting the accused in the Kathua rape and murder case. Defending the leaders, BJP’s Ram Madhav said: “On 1 March, a huge crowd gathered in Kathua and our ministers went there to pacify them. A misunderstanding took place. They should have been more alert. Their intention was not to hamper the investigation. The allegations on them being pro-rapists aren’t true.” The defence comes a…

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Outrage across India over Rape & Murder of 8 Year old Kathua girl

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The groundswell of horror against the alleged bid to communalise the gory gang rape and murder of eight-year-old Asifa + in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua grew across the country on Thursday as outrage reminiscent of the Nirbhaya protests erupted on social media. On a day when junior foreign minister and former Army chief Gen V K Singh spoke forcefully for the hapless victim, J&K deputy CM Nirmal Singh said he had called for an explanation from two BJP colleagues — Lal Singh and Chandar Prakash Ganga — but said they…

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VK Singh promises justice for Kathua girl, Congress questions ‘Modi’s silence’

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The eight-year-old girl was gang-raped thrice by her abductors, including a special police officer, inside a temple. The eight-year-old girl who was gang-raped and murdered in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district “will not be denied justice”, said union minister V K Singh on Thursday as outrage grew over the crime and split the state along communal lines. “We have failed..as humans. But she will not be denied justice,” said Singh, the junior foreign minister, in a tweet. Hindustan Times is not naming the murdered girl because of legal reasons. The…

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Abducted, held captive in temple, raped repeatedly: Charge sheet describes atrocities committed on Kathua girl

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The eight-year-old girl was continuously drugged and was gang-raped thrice by her abductors, including a special police officer, inside a temple. The charge sheet filed by the crime branch of the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) police before the chief judicial magistrate in Kathua district on the rape-murder of an eight-year-old girl reveals the depravity of the crime, which has polarised the Jammu region on communal lines. The girl, who belonged to the nomadic Muslim Bakarwal community, was kidnapped on 10 January while she was out grazing horses in a pasture…

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Jammu observes bandh, Rift in Chamber over Bar Association’s bandh call

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Jammu city observed a complete shutdown on Wednesday after a bandh was called by the Bar Association, Jammu, and other organisations over various issues, including illegal settlement of Rohingya refugees, Rasana rape-murder case, tribal settlements and the district status for Nowshera. Shops and commercial establishments remained closed throughout the day. Public transport too remained off the roads, causing problems to commuters. “Though we did not have official support of some key organisations, shopkeepers and transporters backed the bandh, making it complete and successful,” said Bar association president BS Slathia while…

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Politics over Kathua Rape-Murder leads to tension across Jammu

Editor

The brutal rape and murder of an eight-year-old Bakerwal girl has polarised the normally peaceful town of Jammu, with the local Bar Association calling for a bandh against what it termed the “targeting of minority Dogras” while the state police lodged a case on Tuesday against lawyers who allegedly tried to prevent it from filing a charge sheet against the accused. The high-profile case has even divided the state’s polity, with at least two BJP ministers in the Mehbooba Mufti government questioning the role of the police. The victim, who…

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Two soldiers killed, one injured after Pakistan Army resorts to heavy shelling in Akhnoor

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Two soldiers were killed in Pakistan firing on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, defence sources said on Tuesday. The Pakistan Army resorted to heavy shelling and firing at Indian positions late on Monday in Akhnoor sector’s Khour area. “Two soldiers were killed and another injured. Our positions retaliated effectively and strongly. Firing exchanges continued for over an hour” the sources added.

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