Motive behind Kathua girl’s murder is to terrify people
ISLAMABAD, (MILLAT ONLINE):In Indian occupied Kashmir, fear and insecurity has gripped Muslim community living in Kathua district after the murder of an eight-year-old girl, Aasifa by communal elements, last
month.
According to Kashmir Media Service , Ali and other members of his Bakerwal community are living in constant fear after the girl from their community was murdered. “We were always humiliated and abused here but now we feel that this place is not safe for us,” he said.
The 36-year-old Ali Jan said his father settled in this village four decades ago. A special police officer, Deepak Khajuria, arrested on charges of murdering her has told interrogators that the motive behind the crime was to instill fear among the Muslim community.
“We move to high-altitude areas during summers along with our livestock. Now we have apprehensions that our houses will be burnt or damaged if we move out of here. We cannot leave our children and women alone,” he said.
He said their children now fear to venture out of their homes. “Our children are in shock. They don’t go out to play or take livestock for grazing,” Ali said. The murdered girl had been abducted on January 10 when she had taken a mule owned by her family to a nearby pond.
Her body was recovered seven days later on the outskirts of Rasana village. Her death evoked widespread protests in Jammu region.
The arrest of SPO Deepak Khajuria by the Crime Branch has raised questions over the earlier investigation carried out by Kathua police claiming that a minor boy was involved in the murder. The medical reports have confirmed the she was assaulted. Initially, the district police Kathua said.