Reopen of Kunanposhpora gang-rape case: Civil Society group

A Delhi-based civil society group today appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to reach out to the rape victims of Kunanposhpora during his scheduled visit to Jammu and Kashmir later this month.
"The gang rape of women in Kunanposhpora village of north Kashmir's Kupwara district is a blot on the face of the democracy.
"Prime Minister should reach out to the victims by announcing reopening of the case and taking up the matter with state government and Defence and Home ministries," CPI(M) leader Mohammad Saleem, who is part of the delegation of Centre for Policy Analysis (CPA) told reporters here.

The delegation visited Kunanposhpora yesterday and met the victims of alleged gang-rape by an Army unit during an anti-militant operation in 1991.
"We will take up the matter with Prime Minister and hope he announces something during his visit so that a sense of justice is felt by the victims," Saleem said.
It is unfortunate that Jammu and Kashmir government has failed to do anything in the matter despite a recommendation by the State Human Rights Commission, he said.

Meanwhile, member of National Integration Council John Dayal said government should not act like nothing has happened and should reopen the case by constituting a special investigations team monitored by judiciary and not police.

He also demanded adequate compensation on the basis of a national model "like in the case of Delhi gang rape of a medical student".
Former IAS officer Harsh Mander said it is shameful that police has filed a closure report without taking any action against anyone.