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A police officer allegedly asked to rape an eight-year-old girl one last time before she was strangled and stoned to death.

Asifa Bano was held captive for days and repeatedly raped before she was killed inside a Hindu temple in January, reports say.

A gang of eight people - including four police officers and a child - were arrested over her brutal gang rape and murder in Kathua in Kashmir, India.

Shocking details have emerged as the eight men accused pleaded not guilty when their trial began today.

Before being strangled and stoned twice in the head "to make sure" she was dead, a police officer allegedly made a demand to rape her, Al Jazeera reports.

The girl was then gang raped yet again, according to reports.

Rafeeza Bano, Asifa's 55-year-old mother, spoke of her horror when she saw her dead daughter's body.

She told Al Jazeera: "There were scars on her cheeks.

"Her lips had turned black and her eyes had bulged out. It was a scary scene for a mother to see."

(Image: AFP)

Her family - part of a Muslim nomad tribe - reported Asifa missing to the police but her body was not found for several days.

Seven men and one child were arrested, including retired government official Sanji Ram, 60, and four police officers.

The death and police investigation has promoted fierce protests across Kashmir between Hindus and Muslims.

All of the accused are believed to be Hindus.

(Image: AFP)

Police say the attack was to try and drive out Asifa's Bakarwal Muslim nomadic community from the area, CBS News reports.

The police charge sheet reportedly states: "Ram asked his nephew to kidnap the girl who often came to the forests behind their house for grazing her horses.

"Subsequently, the juvenile shared the entire plan, [...] and asked for their help.

"On January 10, the juvenile saw the girl asking about her horses.

"He told her that he had seen her horses and led her to the jungle.

(Image: AFP)

"Sensing some trouble, Asifa tried to flee but the juvenile caught her by her neck and covered her mouth with one of his hands as she fell on the ground.

"The victim fell unconscious and was raped by the juvenile (in the jungle).

"[Another man] joined in and raped her again.

"They took her to the temple and kept her inside a prayer hall under the table, covering her with the plastic mats.

"On January 11 the juvenile informed another accused about the kidnapping of the girl and asked him to return from Meerut in case he wanted to join them for fun."

(Image: SWNS.com) (Image: REX/Shutterstock)

Asifa went missing from a village 45 miles east of Jammu city on January 10.

Her parents spent two days searching before involving police. Five days later, on January 17, Asifa's body was found.

The investigation is ongoing and there have been protests by people demanding justice for Asifa and others claiming the accused have been framed.

The hashtag #JusticeForAsifa has been trending following international rage at protests supporting the men accused of the brutal gang rape and murder.

According to reports, the trial will resume on April 28.