Protests in Srinagar against rape and murder of girl in Kathua

Several protests were held in the city today against the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua.

Protests were held at Press Enclave and Lal Chowk city centre here by several organisations and students, officials said.

Those who protested include Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association, trade bodies, students of the Central University of Kashmir and tourism contractors, they said.

The members of the Bar Association assembled near the high court and marched to Lal Chowk, demanding justice for the victim and hanging of the culprits.

Jammu and Kashmir Bar Association President Mian Qayoom said the high court should transfer the case to itself as the "atmosphere at Kathua is not conducive for holding a fair trial".

"We are not in favour of transferring the case. Our demand is that the atmosphere at Kathua is not conducive for holding a fair trial of the case. So, the high court has a wing in Jammu, we have a wing in Srinagar. This case should be transferred by the high court to itself... They should nominate a judge for this purpose and that judge should be given exclusive task of trail of this case as quickly as possible," he told reporters.

Students of various colleges and universities also held protests, demanding capital punishment to the accused.

A huge number of students from the Ladakh region of the state, studying in various colleges and universities in the valley, assembled near Press Enclave and held a candlelight protest demanding that the culprits be hanged.

They raised slogans against the accused and mainstream parties in the state.