Pathankot: Finally, a Pathankot special court announced the verdict in the Kathua minor’s rape and murder case Monday, thereby putting an end to the wait for justice for a ‘rarest of rare’ crime that shocked the entire nation and numbed everyone for its decadence.
The case sparked outrage and criticism of the country’s ruling party after some of its members opposed charges being laid.
The eight-year-old girl, who belonged to a nomadic Bakherwal community that roams the forests of Kashmir, was abducted January 10, 2018 and drugged, held captive in a temple and sexually assaulted for a week before being strangled and battered to death with a stone in January 2018.
The abduction, rape and killing of the child were part of a plan to remove the minority nomadic community from the area, the 15-page charge sheet said.
The prosecution was seeking the death penalty for three men – priest Sanji Ram, Deepak Khajuria and Parvesh Kumar – who were convicted of rape and murder, he said. Three others, Surinder Kumar, Tilak Raj and Anand Dutta, were convicted of lesser crimes of destroying evidence
Below are a few facts regarding the accused and the role they had in the gang-rape and murder of the girl:
Sanji Ram, 60: He is a retired revenue department official who served as the priest in the local temple. He was chargesheeted as the main conspirator. He reportedly wanted to evict the nomadic Muslim Bakarwal community from his native Rasana village. The charge sheet accused him of inciting his nephew, an alleged minor, to abduct the eight-year-old as revenge, as the Bakarwals had beaten up the boy in the past. Ram has been convicted under Sections 302 (murder) and 376-D (rape by a group acting with common intention) by the Pathankot special court.
Deepak Khajuria: He was a special police officer, who had a settle to score with the Bakarwals. He was the person who convinced Ram’s nephew to kidnap the minor girl and assured him that he would help him get through his board exams provided he was successful in executing his plan. Deepak has been convicted under Sections 302 (murder) and 376-D (rape by a group acting with common intention) by the court.
Parvesh Kumar, alias Mannu: A friend whom Deepake took into confidence to execute Khajuria’s plan. Deepak and Parvesh drugged the girl in a forest January 10. Subsequently, Deepak raped the girl, while Parvesh also attempted to rape her. Later, they carried the unconscious girl to Ram’s temple and locked her up. The girl was drugged and gang-raped repeatedly inside the temple. Parvesh was also convicted for murder and “rape by a group acting with common intention.”
Tilak Raj: This head constable reportedly struck a deal with Ram January 12. He is accused of taking Rs 1.5 lakh bribe from Ram’s sister, Tripta Devi, to scuttle the probe. Tripta and Tilak were classmates and good friends. Tilak Raj has been convicted under Section-201 of the IPC (causing disappearance of evidence and/or lying to screen the offender.)
Anand Dutta Verma: This sub-inspector is accused of taking 3 lakh from Tilak January 13. After the girl’s body was recovered January 17, he was reportedly paid an additional Rs 1 lakh to hush up the crime. In fact, Anand and Tilak had entered into a deal to change the evidence for a bribe of Rs 5 lakh. Anand had tutored Deepak to stick to a fake version of events and agreed to wash the girl’s bloodstained clothes and leave out other evidence. Anand was also convicted by the special court.
Surinder Verma: This special police officer conducted a recce of the surroundings of Ram’s temple (Devasthan) January 14. He has been convicted along with Tilak Raj under Section-201 of IPC.
Vishal Jangotra, alias Shamma: The police accused Ram’s son, who studies in Meerut, of raping the girl. However, the special court has acquitted him of all charges.
Agencies
