Protests rock Kashmir over alleged rape of 3-year-old, family of accused leaves village

In a shocking incident, a three-year-old girl was allegedly raped last week in the Sumbal area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora district. The incident has led to widespread protests across the Valley. The accused identified as Tahir Ahmad Mir has been arrested by local police and now the protesters are demanding his severe punishment. Around a dozen people were injured on Monday in clashes with the police. Traffic movement was hampered across the Valley.

Facing the heat, the family of the accused has now been asked to leave the village. “There was a lot of hostility post the incident here and we asked them to leave,” a media report quoted their neighbour as saying.

Condemning the incident former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, said that such people should be “stoned to death.” “Mortified to hear about the rape of a 3-year-old girl in Sumbal. What kind of a sick pervert would do this? Society often blames women for inviting unwanted attention but what was this child’s fault? Times like these, Shariah law seems apt so that such paedophiles are stoned to death,” she had tweeted.

Governor Satya Pal Malik has also expressed shock over the incident. The Raj Bhavan Spokesperson has stated that Governor has also talked to religious leaders of different communities and asked them to deplore this gruesome incident unanimously and make appeal to the people to remain calm and not let antisocial elements disturb peace and harmony in the society.

According to toddler's father, the accused took the minor to a nearby government school. The time was near to the pre-dawn prayers. The minor made no signs returning home. Her family members soon started panicking and went out to look for her. 

They were unable to trace her until they heard her cries from the washroom of a local school which is located very near to their home. They opened the door of the toilet only to see her lying down.

The minor soon told them that she was brought here by some elder after buying her chewing gum. Her parents started searching for the accused and he was in the same shop where he bought her the chewing gum.

“The accused bought five chewing gums and two shampoo packets. The next day, the shopkeeper is said to have found used shampoo packets at the spot where the minor was allegedly raped,” according to a media report.