Killing of Kathua minor girl: Opposition creates ruckus in Jammu & Kashmir Assembly

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was today rocked with protests by the Opposition over the killing of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua district, prompting the government to order suspension of a police officer.

The Opposition members created uproar over the incident, a day after the government informed the state Assembly that a 15-year-old boy was apprehended in connection with the killing of the minor girl.

The government has already order a magisterial probe into the incident and said it will inform the House about its findings.

Condemned the barbaric incident in which minor girl from Gujjar community was raped and murdered in Kathua district. Police should make all out efforts to nab the culprits and punished accordingly.I urged state Govt.to take effective steps so that such incidents don’t recur.

— Sham Lal Sharma (@shamsharma_jk) January 18, 2018

The body of the girl was recovered from Rassana forest in Hiranagar area of Kathua district on January 17, a week after she went missing while grazing horses in the forest area.

A special investigation team (SIT) of police in the case apprehended the teenage boy for her murder and said the accused strangulated the victim after she resisted his attempt to rape her in captivity.

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was scheduled to take up a discussion on Governor NN Vohra's address made in the legislature on Tuesday. https://t.co/fj2ksRBvKf

— Zee News (@ZeeNews) January 3, 2018

"We have ordered a magisterial inquiry into the brutal abduction and killing of the girl. We will inform the House about the findings of the inquiry and nobody will be spared," Minister for Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rehman Veeri said amid uproar in the house.

Students of the Jammu University protested over the suspected killing of an eight-year-old girl who was missing for the last seven days in Kathua district @MehboobaMufti @ajaykumar_jk pic.twitter.com/kxXiaDeSTb

— Vishal Kotwal (@vishalkotwal60) January 18, 2018

Veeri made the statement after the opposition repeatedly trooped into the Well of the House shouting slogans such as : "we want justice and hang the culprit".

The issue was raised by Congress MLA Usman Majeed and the entire Opposition comprising the Congress and National Conference members rose on their feet demanding stern action against the culprit and the police officers for "dereliction of duty".

BJP MLA Kathua Rajiv Jasrotia criticised the Opposition, leading to vociferous protests by the NC and Congress members who demanded a direction from the Chair to the government to suspend the police officers for their failure to trace the girl before her murder.

"The government should immediately put under suspension the police officers concerned keeping in mind the seriousness of the crime to restore the confidence of the people," senior NC legislator Ali Mohammad Sagar said amid calls from other members who warned that they would not allow the House to function till justice is done to the girl.

Amid the protests, Relief and rehabilitation minister Javaid Mustafa Mir intervened, saying: "We are very much concerned as we too have daughters. There will be no compromise and justice will be done."

As the opposition continued their protests, Veeri announced suspension of Station House Officer of the concerned police station till further inquiry, leading restoration of the order in the house.