Only CBI probe can ensure justice in Kathua murder case: JKNPP

The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) workers today staged a protest here, demanding a CBI probe into the rape-and-murder case of an eight-year-old girl in January.

Led by JKNPP chairman Harsh Dev Singh, activists of the party today assembled in front of the CBI office here and said that only the premier investigate agency of India could ensure justice in the case.

The protesters raised slogans against the governments, both state and central, and later submitted a memorandum addressed to Director CBI through the regional CBI SP Jai Parkash Mishra.

Mishra assured the delegation that their memorandum would be sent to the CBI director as well as the DG of J&K Police.

"The CBI would have no problem in investigating the matter in case it was handed over to it by the competent authority," said Mishra.

The protesters demanded impartial and fair investigation into the murder case "so that the actual perpetrators of heinous crime are booked under the law".

They also alleged harassment by crime branch officials investigating the brutal rape and murder of the minor girl, whose body was recovered from Rassana forest on January 17, a week after she had gone missing in the area.

"These mass detentions, besides harassment of innocent people, under the pretext of the investigation has created an atmosphere of fear psychosis in Hiranagar," Singh said.

"The mass exodus of the residents of Rasana followed by violent clashes between the protestors and the police at Chadwal couple of weeks ago took place due to severe public persecution by the state government," he said.

On January 23, six days after the minor girl's body was recovered, the Jammu and Kashmir government had handed over the case to the crime branch of the state police. The crime branch arrested a Special Police Officer (SPO) for his alleged involvement in the abduction and killing of the girl.

Before that, a special investigation team had arrested a 15-year-old boy and claimed that the accused had strangulated the victim after she resisted his rape attempt.