NEW DELHI: Even as the nation reels in horror at the gangrape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kashmir , the Supreme Court ( SC ) said today it will, of its own accord, examine the horrific Kathua rape incident , provided advocates presented the facts of the case to the court in writing.

The top court wants it mentioned in writing that lawyers in Kathua , Jammu and Kashmir, agitated to prevent the filing of a chargesheet against the rape accused. The SC also wants it mentioned that these lawyers threatened those representing the family of the eight-year-old who was raped.

SC says it would take up Kathua rape incident case provided the advocates placed facts in writing about the agitation by lawyers to prevent filing of chargesheet in the case and threatening counsel for rape survivor.

In Delhi, a clutch of lawyers who practice in the SC, requested a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud to take suo moto cognisance of the horrific incident. The lawyers said they would put together the facts of the case in writing for the SC.

In Kashmir on Moday, a group of irate lawyers from one community prevented the crime branch of Jammu and Kashmir police from filing a chargesheet against the seven men accused of the rape and murder of eight-year-old girl Asifa in Kathua district.

The minor, from a nomad Muslim community, had been held captive, sedated and raped for several days at a temple before she was murdered at Rassana village in Kathua district, according to the J&K Police crime branch investigation based on DNA test, forensic evidence and post-mortem report.

On Monday, as soon as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the crime branch along with the accused reached the Kathua court complex around 4.15pm, the lawyers began protesting. A police contingent tried to make way for the crime branch team to enter the court complex, but their attempts failed in the face of the rancorous protests by the lawyers.

Today, J&K's director general of police SP Vaid said nothing could be worse than this crime.

"It is a very heinous crime, it can't get worse than this. The SIT has done a very professional job and filed chargesheet, now we hope justice will be done," said Vaid.

The body of the eight-year-old was recovered from Rassana forest on January 17, a week after she had gone missing while grazing horses in the area. The state government handed over the case to the crime branch following massive protests in the state.

The accused, including the mastermind Sanji Ramthe, his son Vishal, sub-inspector Anand Dutta, two Special Police Officers Deepak Khajuria and Surender Verma, head constable Tilak Raj and civilian Parvesh Kumar, were booked under Sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of Ranbir Penal Code.

