Kathua crime: 18 days later, medical report shared with no one

Srinagar, Feb 03: Eighteen days after the murder of Kathua minor, her family is yet to receive the medical report, while the investigating agencies have been maintaining silence.
Eight-year-old Asifa was abducted, allegedly raped, and murdered at Hiranagar, Kathua, in January.
The family of the girl has been alleging that she had been raped before her murder.
While a post-mortem of the body was conducted, the family has yet not received the report.
“ On February 1, we approached the Kathua police station to know about the medical reports, but the police officials refused to provide any information regarding it,” said Ali Jan, uncle of Asifa.
“We have asked police about the awaited medical reports and the case, but they are delaying it. They told us that the family will be given all the reports at an appropriate time. We want the real culprits to be punished,” said Jan.
On Friday, National Conference (NC) working president and former chief minister, Omar Abdullah, raised Asifa’s issue in the Legislative Assembly, saying that her medical report has not come to the fore. “Kathua incident was a shock, but unfortunately no medical report has been received by the investigating agency so far. Where is the medical report,” Omar asked the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti.
Soon after the incident, the government ordered a magisterial probe, following the opposition’s protests in the Legislative Assembly, and lashed out at the police for “failing” to trace her promptly after she had gone missing.
After protests and ruckus, the case was handed over to crime branch for probe.
Alok Puri, Inspector General Of police (IGP) State Crime Branch, said that they would release a statement about the medical reporter whenever required.
“We cannot reveal anything about the case. In fact we even can’t say whether we have received the medical report or not,” he said.
Peerzada Naveed, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), State Crime Branch, who is heading the case, said that the department would reveal the information at an “appropriate time”.
However, Advocate Talib Hussain, a social activist fighting for justice in the case, said, “The rape of the minor could be established only with the medical report. But the investigating agencies and the hospital authorities continue to stay mum over it.”
Hussain said they approached the concerned doctor and asked him to handover the medical report of Asifa to them. “He refused to do so without police permission,” he said.
“After the doctor’s refusal, we approached the SSP Kathua but he also stopped us from accessing the medical reports. We don’t understand as to why the officials are not revealing it. They are clearly trying to cover up the case,” he said.