Srinagar, Apr 16: Though the government assured stern action against the culprits involved in Kathua rape and murder case, the students from various colleges and schools on Monday staged protests against the incident, demanding authorities that those involved in the crime must not be spared.
The students from Central University Kashmir (CUK) including boys and girls assembled in Srinagar’s press enclave and chanted slogans in favour of Asifa, a victim who was raped and murdered in Kathua.
The students were also carrying the placards displaying images of Asifa and slogans in favour of justice.
They also held a sit-in at press enclave here to demand justice for a minor girl.
The students demanded authorities that those involved in the heinous crime must not be spared. “The culprits should be hanged till death,” they demanded.
They also condemned the Kathua Bar Association for blocking the challan by Crime Branch a few days back, saying that “those lawyers should be arrested and stern action must be taken against them.”
The students from Vitasta Law College Nowgam also protested against the lawyers who tried to prevent the Crime Branch to file charge sheet into Kathua minor girl’s rape and murder case.
The students wearing black coats were seen chanting slogans against the culprits and were demanding stern punishment against the lawyers who created ‘hurdles’ in filing charge sheet.
The students were also carrying placards reading slogans in favour of justice to the minor victim.
Echoing the similar views against the lawyers, the law students demand authorities to cancel their licenses at an earliest.
Meanwhile, reports said that student of Government Boys Higher Secondary School Dangerpora, Sopore also staged protest against the rape and murder of a minor.
Amid anti-government and anti-BJP sloganeering, the students demanded justice for Asifa.
They also demanded government to execute those who are involved in the act.
Sources said that the students later resumed their class work.
In Palhallan area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the students of Higher Secondary School Palhallan also took to streets to demand action against the culprits.
The students assembled inside the school premises and chanted slogans against the culprits.
Holding placards and banners reading slogans in favour of Asifa, the students demanded justice for Kathua victim.
Notably, eight persons accused in the incident were arrested by the authorities.
Pertinently, the authorities suspended the class work at Women’s College M A Road and Amar Singh College today to thwart student protests against the Kathua incident.
Shutdown in Kerala, many arrested
Kozhikode, Apr 16: A shutdown called by a section of social media users against the rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl in Kathua derailed normal life in parts of Kerala. Police took several protesters into custody.
The worst affected districts included Kozhikode, Kannur, Malappuram, Palakkad and parts of Thiruvanathapuram.
What began as a campaign in the social media on Sunday against the brutality heaped on an eight-year-old in Kathua region led to a shutdown on Monday.
Angry demonstrators, some shouting anti-RSS slogans, blocked traffic and force shops to shut.
Buses and other vehicles were stopped from plying on Monday morning. However, traffic resumed after the police chased away the protesters.
In Kozhikode, Kannur and Palakkad, police chase away the strikers and took some into custody. In Kannur district, the protesters and some shop keepers were engaged in a war of words.
The youths have been identified as members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political wing of the Popular Front of India.
The areas affected by the shutdown are known strongholds of the SDPI, including the suburbs of the capital district.
Government offices and banks in the affected areas opened later in the day. (IANS)
Legal experts oppose shifting of case outside JK
KNS
Srinagar, Apr 16: Legal experts in Kashmir valley here on Monday vociferously opposed the shifting of the Kathua rape case from Kathua district court to Chandigarh and instead have stressed for shifting of the case to any other place within Jammu division except Kathua district court or any court in Jammu city.
When contacted the noted legal luminary of the state and senior advocate of J&K High Court Zaffar Ahmad Shah told KNS “if at all the Kathua rape and murder case is to be shifted outside Kathua the most appropriate forum in my opinion would be the court of district and sessions judge Ramban a neutral place equally distant from Srinagar and Jammu.
Another senior advocate of the J&K High Court and noted legal expert Zaffar Ahmad Qureshi said: “in my opinion the appropriate place for shifting of the case would be any court within Jammu division except district court Kathua and courts established in Jammu city.”
He said shifting of the case to either Chandigarh or any other place in rest of the country is not advisable for the reasons that “we have already the experience of the trial of 2006 sex scandal after the shifting of that case to a Chandigarh court.”
