J&K high court directs police to file status report

SRINAGAR: Taking suo motu cognisance of the rape of threeyear-old girl, the J&K high court on Wednesday asked the police to file a status report of the ongoing investigation. The court directed the Kashmir IGP to file the status report on the probe by Friday. The order was passed by a division bench comprising chief justice Gita Mittal and justice Tashi Rabstan.

“An incident of rape of a minor girl child on May 8, 2019 in Bandipore district has received widespread publicity in the state. Several critical issues relating to the incident appear to need urgent attention. We find that there are reports in the media which express grave apprehensions with regard to effectiveness of the investigation and attempts by accused to interfere with the same in order to prevent the guilty being brought to book,” the order reads.

The court also asked the police to give adequate protection to the victim and her family. The court issued notices to Kashmir IG, health and medical education secretary and the J&K state legal services authorities through its member secretary high court.

There has been no let up in the protests despite government’s promise of a time-bound inquiry into the incident and constitution of an SIT. The authorities on Wednesday closed colleges and schools in Srinagar, Baramulla, Sopore, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Anantnag, Kupwara and Budgam.

The protesters had on Tuesday clashed with policemen at Civil Lines in Srinagar, where the latter had to use tear smoke shells and pellets to disperse the agitators.