DNA
J&K seethes with anger over rape of minors
Thursday, August 30, 2007 01:15 IST

Two girls are raped in five days in the valley
SRINAGAR: As Kashmir seethes in anger over the rape and murder of an eight-year-old on Friday, another minor was allegedly raped by a 60-year-old man in south Kashmir two days back.
According to police, the 11-year-old girl was raped by Mohammad Ayub Shah, a government employee, while she was working in her orchard in remote Kulgam village of south Kashmir.
"Fearing embarrassment, the girl lodged a complaint two days after the incident. Shah was arrested soon after her complaint and medical reports confirm her rape," Kulgam superintendent of police SP Pani, said.
In Srinagar, police have launched an extensive search operation after the rape and murder of eight-year-old Sabrina. Her bruised body was recovered from an abandoned house in Jawahar Nagar on Friday, a day after she went missing.
This is the third rape of a minor in Kashmir in the past two months. In July, an eight standard student from Handwara was allegedly raped and murdered by four people, including two migrant workers.
In another incident, a man has been arrested for having physical relationship with a class XII student, who delivered a baby a few days ago in Handwara.
"We have arrested Ajaz Ahmad under section 376 RPC because he had relationship with an unmarried girl. We have registered a case against a private nursing home where they had gone for abortion," said Haseeb Mughal, SP Handwara.
Students organised a protest march in Srinagar on Wednesday demanding action against rapists and killers, who have sparked a rein of terror among civilians in Kashmir.
"The police are not doing enough to curb the crime. Those arrested walk free because of police inaction," said Zareef Ahmad Zareef, chairman of the Valley Citizens Council.
He called the people to form committees at the Moholla level to keep an eye on criminals.