Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

JAMMU: After facing heat from people and civil society members, the PDP-BJP coalition government on Tuesday handed over probe of abduction, rape and murder of 8-year-old girl in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir to the Crime Branch.

“The case of murder of minor gas has been handed over to Crime Branch for further investigations,” Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rehman Veeri informed the members in Legislative Assembly in Jammu today after uproar by the opposition members on the issue.

8-year-old Gujjar girl Asifa Bano R/o Rasana village in Kathua district of the State had gone missing on January 10. Her body with torture and violence marks was recovered on January 17 about one a half kilometers away from her residence.

The family members, relatives and Gujjar leaders have alleged that the minor girl was sexually assaulted before being killed brutally by her abductors.

After being handed probe of the case, Crime Branch formed five-member Special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the abduction, rape and murder of the minor girl.

The SIT has been directed to finalize investigation expeditiously and submit the progress reports to Additional Director General of Police, Crime Branch on daily basis.

The SIT is headed by Addl. SP, Crime Branch Kashmir Peerzada Naveed. Other members of the SIT include DySP Crime Branch Jammu, Nissar Hussain, DySP Crime Branch, Jammu, Shetambari Sharma, SI, Irfan Wani, and ASI Tariq Ahmad.

Police has arrested a 15-year-old boy and claimed that he was the main suspect in the murder case of the minor girl.

Police said the boy had abducted the minor girl and attempted to rape her and when she resisted, he killed her.

The government has suspended SHO of local police stations after the victim’s family members, relatives, Gujjar leaders and civil society members accused police of not doing anything for a week to trace out the abducted girl.

The Asifa’s family members and relatives have alleged that police was trying to shield the culprits.

Questioning the police claim that the main culprit has been arrested, they said, “How is it possible for a 15-year-old boy to abduct, rape and kill a girl without any help from others. The police should arrest all the culprits involved in Asfia’s abduction, rape and murder”.

Meanwhile, Asifa’s relatives and members of Gujjar community held a protest outside office of Deputy Commissioner Anantnag in south Kashmir today against the brutal rape and murder of the minor girl.

They demanded an independent probe into the incident and arrest of perpetrators of the heinous crime.

They warned that if the government fails to provide justice, 2.5 millon Gujjar and Bakerwal population in the State would come out on roads and launch agitation against the government.