Several protests were held here today demanding punishment to those involved in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old nomad girl in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, even as police foiled a separatists' march toward Lal Chowk area over the issue.
Protests were held by separatists, civil society members and students near the Lal Chowk city centre here in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.
Separatists, under the banner of the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), led by JKLF chief Yasin Malik, held a protest march near the party head office in Abi Guzar area of the city.
The protesters carried placards demanding justice for the minor girl and punishment of the culprits involved in the crime.
Talking to reporters, Malik said the JRL, comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Malik, resolved to fight for the justice to the victim.
Representatives of Kashmiri Pandit community and Christian community also spoke on the occasion and demanded exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of the crime.
The protesters then tried to march towards Lal Chowk but was foiled by a posse of policemen deployed there. Many separatists, including Malik, were then taken into custody. Later, members of civil society also staged a protest in Pratap Park here, demanding the people involved in the crime be hanged.
"It pains us that some people are supporting murderers and rapists. Is the humanity dead? How can they support rapists and murderers? We want the murderers be given exemplary punishment. They should be hanged," Shakeel Qalander said.
The protest was also joined by five-year-old Jannat, who was lauded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Twitter for her efforts to clean the Dal Lake.
A group of students also held a protest march at the Press Enclave here demanding punishment to the people involved in the murder of the girl.
Meanwhile, opposition National Conference working president Omar Abdullah, responding to a reported statement by BJP leader and Union minister Jitendra Singh having no objection in handing over the case to the CBI, tweeted: "The case is being handled by the J&K police. If @MehboobaMufti agrees to hand the case over to the CBI it will be another instalment in the price she's paying to remain CM.
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