Complete Bandh in Kishtwar Over Minor Tribal Girl’s Rape and Tragic Death; Five Arrested as Special SIT Probes Conspiracy
Critical Highlights
- Massive Public Outcry: Entire district observed a complete shutdown; vehicular movement and commercial activities suspended.
- Unified Call: Majlis-e-Shura and Sanatan Dharam Sabha jointly demanded exemplary punishment for the perpetrators.
- Key Accused in Custody: Government teacher-cum-in-charge headmaster Khalid Ahmed Sheikh, his brother, and three others arrested.
- High-Level Probe: Dedicated SIT led by Addl. SP Pardeep Singh actively probing criminal conspiracy, illegal termination, and cover-up.
Jammu Mirror Bureau | Kishtwar: Normal life came to a grinding halt across Kishtwar district on Thursday as a complete bandh was observed in protest against the horrifying sexual exploitation and subsequent death of a 15-year-old tribal girl.
The strike, jointly called by the Majlis-e-Shura and Sanatan Dharam Sabha, saw widespread public solidarity. Commercial establishments, bazaars, and private outlets kept their shutters down throughout the day, while passenger transport largely stayed off the roads across major townships, including Kishtwar town and the Chatroo sub-division.
To prevent any untoward incident and maintain general law and order amid escalating public anger, heavy contingents of police and paramilitary personnel were deployed at sensitive intersections and vital installations across the district.
Grave Sequence of Events and Illegal Termination Attempt
According to official reports, the minor was subjected to repeated sexual assault over several months by a government teacher at her school, resulting in her pregnancy. In an illicit attempt to conceal the crime, the primary accused allegedly conspired to terminate the pregnancy through unprescribed medication in the Chatroo belt.
When the victim’s health deteriorated, she was initially moved to the Public Health Centre (PHC) at Chatroo and subsequently shifted to the District Hospital Kishtwar, allegedly with the active connivance of a hospital daily-wage sanitation worker. Following basic clinical management and an ultrasound evaluation, she was moved to another medical facility for an induced surgical delivery.
During the forced surgical procedure, the minor delivered a stillborn child and succumbed shortly after due to severe medical complications, triggering massive outrage across the Chenab Valley.
A high-level SIT headed by Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kishtwar, Pardeep Singh, has been tasked with conducting an exhaustive, time-bound, and scientific investigation. The specialized team includes Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Nitish Sharma and Station House Officer (SHO) Chatroo, Inspector Rishi Kumar, alongside other technical investigators.
Arrests and Legal Action Under BNS & POCSO
The district police had earlier apprehended the prime accused, identified as Khalid Ahmed Sheikh—a Grade-II teacher functioning as the in-charge headmaster of Middle School Bumalpora, Inderwal—along with his brother on August 20.
Widening the net of accountability, the SIT subsequently nabbed three additional individuals, including the health department daily-wager implicated in facilitating the cover-up and unlawful termination bid. This brings the total number of apprehended suspects to five.
A formal First Information Report (FIR) has been registered under rigorous provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) pertaining to rape, criminal conspiracy, and causing death through illegal miscarriage, in conjunction with the stringent sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Senior police officials confirmed that the investigation is progressing rapidly with strict forensic and technical protocols, affirming that more arrests will follow if further complicity is established in the case.
