Kathua incident is shameful, a smiling child's face is most beautiful thing in world: President Kovind

President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday came in support of the Kathua eight-year-old victim and strongly condemned the gang-rape and bruatal murder during his visit in Jammu and Kashmir.

“After 70 years of independence, occurrence of such incidents are shame for the country,” Kovind said.

He further added that the most beautiful thing in this world is the smiling face of a child. 

"It is a responsibility of the society and us to give security and a sense of safety to our daughters and sisters,” the President said.

He further added, “Success of a society lay in the kind of protection and environment we provide to our children.”

The president came in support for the Kathua victim during his speech at the sixth convocation ceremony at Katra’s Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University.  

The eight-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by six men who had held her in captivity in a small temple village for a week in January. She was allegedly drugged so that she could be sexually assaulted again before being bludgeoned to death, according to police.

The Jammu and Kashmir government has appointed two special public prosecutor in the case. Both the lawyers belong to the Sikh community.