Srinagar, May 6 (KNS): Widespread outrage has erupted across Jammu and Kashmir following the alleged sexual assault and death of a nomadic Bakerwal woman from Rajouri, who was attacked near Srinagar’s Nishat area.
The woman was reportedly assaulted by a group of intoxicated men while grazing livestock along Water Works Road on Sunday evening. She succumbed to her injuries while being taken to the hospital.
Police have arrested four suspects and registered a case, with a Srinagar court remanding them to six days of police custody. Investigations are ongoing.
Shops in Brein and Nishat remained closed on Monday as locals staged protests demanding justice. “This inhuman act has shocked us all,” said Abdul Rasheed, a local resident. Protesters called for the harshest punishment, with many demanding the accused be hanged.
Religious leaders, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), condemned the crime, calling it “barbaric” and blaming increasing substance abuse and moral decline.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Political leaders across party lines voiced anger and demanded swift justice. National Conference leaders Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mian Altaf Ahmad Larvi, and Mian Mehar Ali urged a fast-track investigation. “I demand exemplary punishment to the perpetrators,” Mehar Ali said on social media.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti described the crime as “heartbreaking” and indicative of a larger societal collapse. Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone and Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari echoed calls for strict punishment. Iltija Mufti alleged the woman was tied to a tree and left without medical attention.
The incident has shocked the Valley, prompting widespread condemnation and renewed calls for societal introspection and urgent action. (KNS)