Daily Times

Kashmir lost its claim to be a heaven on the earth a long time ago but the debate today is not about ‘why’ but ‘who’ caused the paradise to fly away, leaving behind its miserable and yet romantic claimants. Say Kashmir and the sweet aroma of pine takes over the mind fluttering among images of valley flowers.

While the valley is witnessing the month of blessings, and suddenly you get to hear the act that tender your muscles and your brain starts oscillating in agony. While I was on the way to home, and as usual my phone keeps on beeping with variable feeds, and at a moment I read a feed that a three-year-old girl has been raped by a boy. Not the first time, I got to hear such inhuman act as previously such incidents have filled the social networking sites.

Kashmir is a conservative populace with rigid religious beliefs, where such incidents sink people’s hearts to the core.

“Oh foetid soul, you aren’t a burden,

Your cravings, your presence, is sacred,

“unworthy are those, who exploit you,

“you are born to take nap at the realm of GOD,

Such mischievous acts are on a surge in India-held Kashmir. Now concerning the etiology of this social chaos, over the years there has been a paradigm shift in the psychological, behavioral and life style of the people inhabiting the valley, leading to variant changes in their psycho physico sexual behaviour.

The accused who belongs to the same village where the girl lives, took the minor girl to a nearby school, as evidenced by a shopkeeper for giving her some chewing gums. When the mother launched a search for her daughter, she found her minor daughter in the toilet of school, with trousers down and blood sprinkled over her leg.

The incident begs some questions.

Over the days, there were contesting statements on the age of the suspect, as in one of the statements issued by the government school principal where the he was admitted to, revealed that the boy is underage

How can the parents handover their daughter to a stranger, and till the iftar time is over, no one is following her? The shopkeeper should be questioned who claims to be the witness of the incident that how the boy offered some chewing gums to the girl and then took her away, and later when he came back alone, he was spotted again at the same shop, even after rendering such a dreadful act.

I mean how a person after unleashing such a heinous crime can tend to be relaxed, and not flee the place?

There are some sources close to the incident place, who are referring this whole incident a fabricated one, and an attempt to defame the contending person, to exploit the situation. Even many people of the village have given a contesting statement. There is an impending scuffle and impending resolution over some land issue between the contending families, and as per some locals around the village, the victim’s family is trying to magnify this hoax, in order to grab the land.

Over the days, there were contesting statements on the age of the suspect, as in one of the statements issued by the government school principal where the he was admitted to, revealed that the boy is underage, and the photocopy of this statement went viral on the social media and evoked sharp reaction from the general public.

If the boy has really committed such a heinous crime, the only way left with his supporters and family members is to prove him underage. Under such tactics, the suspect will be provided impunity.

The complications of this horrific deed are illustrious on ground, and this has led to sectarianism in the community, as both the suspect and the alleged victim are from different sects. Some opportunist and greedy people are desperately trying to exploit the situation, and trying to induce an antagonistic ideology in the people of valley. The politicization of this issue is horrendous and need to be condemned.

The medical report has yet to be issued, that will eventually conform whether the girl was raped or not. Meanwhile, the girl is stable as of now as reported by various media houses.

There should be a thorough investigation into the age issue of the suspect.

Investigation agencies should accelerate probe in the case and enough witnesses should be unveiled to prove the allegation. In most of the rape cases, agencies fail to prove allegations as they fail to provide enough witnesses, and all this leads to injustice.

Right now the situation is very tense and several socio-political organisations have expressed their outrage over the barbarous incident that has rattled up the consciousness of the people.

If the suspect is found guilty, he should be punished as it will set an example to other. Such pedophiles should be brought to edge and punished, because it will deter others from committing such crimes in future.

The writer is from Sopore Kashmir, organising member Kashmir law circle, political columnist, pursuing graduation in nursing GMC Srinagar