People of different faiths pledge to maintain communal harmony in J&K

A group of people of different faiths pledged today to maintain communal harmony in Jammu and Kashmir, and demanded capital punishment for the culprits involved in the rape-and-murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua district.

Carrying national flags, a group of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Muslims gathered at Bahu Plaza Park here this evening to convey the message that we may come from different religions but we all are one against social crimes.

Organised by a civil society group, the participants of the 'Sarv Dharam' walk chanted pro-India slogans.

We will not allow anyone to connect social crime with any religion. We are here to scuttle attempts by vested interests to divide the people on the basis of religion, the founder of Fahad Mir Foundation Ruchi Chauhan Khan, told PTI.

She said criminal has no religion and should be seen as such.

Demanding capital punishment for those involved in the rape-and-murder of the minor girl, she said culprits of such crimes should be hanged across the country so that nobody can ever think of committing such a crime again.

Jammu and Kashmir is like a bouquet, where people of all religions live together despite diverse culture and different topography of each region. We have come together to convey a message to the outside world that we are united and we will not allow anyone to disturb communal harmony, especially in Jammu region, Khan said.