Agencies
NEW DELHI: As outrage across India grows over the rape and killing of an eight-year-old nomadic girl in Kathua district of Jammu & Kashmir, a Sikh engineer has donated his one month salary to the victim family.
Harmindar Pal Singh, 32, who is employed as a junior engineer in the Power Development Department in the Jammu & Kashmir government, said he wants to help the victim family because eight-year-old Asifa Bano – who was kidnapped, raped and then murdered on January 17 – was like his own daughter.
“Asifa was like my own daughter. It is my moral duty to help a nomadic family who has been made to suffer, and since I am blessed with a job and donation of one month salary would not make me suffer,’’ Singh was quoted as saying by Kashmir Reader.
Singh, who belongs to Gameraj village of Tral sub-division in Pulwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, said the culprits should be given harsh punishment on the lines what Pakistan did in a similar incident involving eight-year-old Zainab.
“The culprit involved in the rape and murder of 8-year-old Zainab of Pakistan was hanged soon after the investigation was complete and same parameters must be followed here so that the family (of Asifa) gets speedy justice,” Singh said.
Eight-year-old Asifa was kidnapped in January while she was grazing her horses near Rasana village of Kathua district in the Jammu region. The village is about 45 kilometre from Jammu city.
Asifa belonged to Kashmir’s nomadic Muslim Bakerwal tribe who earn their living by herding sheep, goats and horses between the meadows of the Kashmir Valley and hilly forests of the Jammu region which is dominated by Hindus.
Some Hindu miscreants feared that the nomadic Muslims would change the demography of their region. They planned rape and killing of eight-year-old Asifa to instill fear among the Bakerwal nomads so that they leave the area.
The heinous crime came to light only three months later when the crime branch of the state police in its 16-page chargesheet showed how the crime was planned by Sanji Ram, who is a former revenue official and also custodian of Kathua’s Devisthan temple.
It was Sanji Ram who asked his nephew and a policeman to kidnapp 8-year-old Asifa on January 10. After kidnapping her, they administered her sedatives and kept her confined to Devisthan temple where she was sexually assaulted by six men. Her body was found in the nearby jungle on January 17.
Asifa’s 55-year-old mother Rafeeza Bano said it was scary to see her daughter’s body. The mother said Asifa’s cheeks bore deep scars, her eyes had bulged out and lips turned black.
Poor Asifa’s body was not allowed to be buried at Rasana village because local Hindu villagers objected to it, alleging that the grave land has been forcibly occupied by the Muslim nomads. Her parents and relatives had to take her body eight kilometres to bury her.
Eight persons, including four policemen, have been arrested. They pleaded not guilty during their first court appearance on April 16.
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Indians across the country have expressed outrage over the shocking incident, staging protests and candle-light vigils for little innocent Asifa.
The case of this innocent girl reminds India of the gangrape of a 23-year-old medical student on a moving bus in Delhi in December 2012, leading to massive protests across India.
Political leaders and celebrities have expressed outrage over the fate of eight-year-old Asifa.
How many more children like baby Asifa will be sacrificed at the intersect of religion & politics? How many more children will have to suffer unimaginable crimes before we wake up? I’m disgusted. It’s time for swift action. We owe it to Asifa and to humanity. #justiceforAsifa.
— PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) April 12, 2018
Yet again we've failed as a society. Can't think straight as more chilling details on little Asifa's case emerge…her innocent face refuses to leave me. Justice must be served, hard and fast! https://t.co/xrW5RVffLe
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) April 12, 2018
This really d work of human beings?Breaks my heart 2know v r capable of such atrocities.V need even more activism,courage, outspokenness, communication,awareness, aggression.Whatever v need 2make sure this doesnt happen again,lets do it!!Punishment? education ? Whatever it takes! https://t.co/HeDN8EP7Py
— Hrithik Roshan (@iHrithik) April 12, 2018
Heartbroken and at loss of words at the horror 8 year old Asifa had to endure. Its a murder of humanity. Justice must be delivered.
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 12, 2018
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