Kathua rape and murder accused produced in court

All the eight accused in the Kathua rape and murder case were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Kathua as the trial started on Monday. Under heightened security the eight, including Sanji Ram, the alleged mastermind of the heinous crime, were produced before CJM Kathua, A.S. Langeh, who then postponed the hearing in the matter for April 28.

The father of the eight-year-old victim has already moved the Supreme Court seeking transfer of the trial to outside Jammu nad Kashmir, preferably Chandigarh. The apex court will hear the matter at 2 p.m. Relatives of the victim present outside the Kathua court accused the media of ignoring extensive reportage of this heinous crime for nearly three months.

The victim was abducted on January 10 and held captive inside a temple in Rasana village of Hiranagar area. She was drugged and raped repeatedly before being murdered. Her body was found dumped in the adjoining forest area on January 17. The family had trouble even burying the body as some locals disallowed burial accusing the family of trying to occupy land in the name of a graveyard.

Father of the victim has told the media the body was finally buried in far away forest lands.

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