Asifa Rape and Murder: A day after son’s arrest, ex-rev officer surrenders

JAMMU: A former revenue official wanted by the police in connection with the rape and murder of a minor girl in Kathua district today surrendered before Crime Branch sleuths on Tuesday.

Sanji Ram (60), alleged as ‘mastermind’ behind the rape and killing of the 8-year-old Asifa Bano in Rasana village, surrendered after his son was arrested from Uttar Pradesh yesterday, police officials said requesting anonymity.

He had been evading arrest ever since the Crime Branch started looking for him, but gave himself up after his son Vishal Kumar was arrested from Uttar Pradesh and brought here for questioning.

Earlier, an official had said investigation has revealed that it was a pre-planned killing carried out with the intention of instilling fear among the Bakarwal nomads residing in the area and driving them out.

He had said the girl was drugged and raped before being killed.

The minor's body was recovered from Rasana forest in Kathua on January 17, a week after she went missing while grazing horses in the area. The incident sparked widespread protest in the state.

On January 23, the state government handed over the case to the state police's crime branch which which formed an SIT and arrested six people, including two Special Police Officers (SPOs) and a head constable, who was charged with destruction of evidence.

One of the arrested persons, who was said to be a juvenile, was subjected to medical examination at government medical college here on March 7 which opined that he was over 19-year-old.

The crime branch submitted a detailed status report to the High Court on March 9 which is monitoring the case.

The case has divided the ruling coalition partners, PDP and BJP, over the demand of a section of people to hand over the case to the CBI for a thorough investigation.