Kishtwar observes bandh over minor girl’s rape, death

Jammu: Kishtwar observed a complete bandh on Thursday following a joint call by the Majlis-e-Shura and Sanatan Dharam Sabha over the alleged rape and death of a 15-year-old tribal girl in the district. Shops and business establishments remained closed across the district, while public transport was also affected, officials said.

Security forces and police were deployed in large numbers, particularly in Kishtwar and Chatroo towns, to maintain peace and ensure normalcy, they said. The bandh reflected growing public anger over the girl’s death, with protesters demanding justice, stronger measures for the safety and protection of children and stringent action against the culprits.

The girl was allegedly repeatedly sexually assaulted by a teacher at her school over several months, resulting in her pregnancy. She later died following an alleged attempt to terminate the pregnancy in the Chatroo area, officials said. Police arrested government teacher Khalid Ahmed Sheikh, a Grade-II teacher and in-charge headmaster of Middle School Bumalpora in Inderwal, along with his brother on August 20.

Five people in total have been apprehended by the police so far. The FIR was registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) pertaining to rape and death caused by miscarriage, among other offences, besides the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

A Special Investigation Team headed by Additional SP Kishtwar Pardeep Singh was constituted to conduct a thorough, scientific and time-bound probe.