Security beefed up in Pathankot as hearing of case begins today

PATHANKOT: Security has been beefed up near the district courts here where hearing in the Kathua rape and murder case of a nomadic girl will begin on Thursday on day-to-day basis. The district police have set up barricades near the judicial complex and stationed two CCTV vans to have a check on activities neat the court.

The case was transferred from Kathua to Pathankot in the court of district and sessions judge Dr Tejwinder Singh on the order of the Supreme Court. An eightyear-old nomadic girl, who was kidnapped on January 10, was allegedly raped in captivity in a village temple in Kathua district.

Later, she was allegedly sedated for four days before bring killed. The case had shaken the entire nation and leading to widespread protest seeking immediate justice in the case.

In view of the ongoing protests in favour of some accused and a protest march, in which some BJP ministers had also taken part, to demand a CBI inquiry, the Bar Council of Pathankot had expressed fears over the security of the lawyers and other employees in the court. SSP Vivek Sheel Soni said that all arrangements pertaining to the security of the girl’s family and lawyers and other employees in the court have been made.

He, however, refused to divulge details related to the security arrangements. The security of seven of the eight accused, who will appear in the court, is the responsibility of the J&K police, he said. One of the accused is a juvenile and he is not expected to appear in the court on Thursday.

It is learnt that the public prosecutor, citing security concerns, will move an application requesting the judge to keep the accused in judicial custody in Pathankot only where the case has been transferred for in-camera day-to-day hearing.

The Supreme Court had ordered, “The learned district and sessions judge shall himself take up the trial and will not assign it to any additional sessions judge. The judge will fast track the trial and take it up on a day-to-day basis so that there is no delay.”

J&K GOVT APPOINTS SANTOKH SINGH BASRA AS PUBLIC PROSECUTOR

Meanwhile, senior advocate Santokh Singh Basra from Gurdaspur has been picked the J&K government as public prosecutor in the case.

The communique issued by the J&K government states that Basra will be assisted by S Bhopinder Singh, chief prosecuting officer, crime branch, Jammu; and Harminder Singh, chief prosecuting officer, Samba.