Srinagar: Shock, grief and outrage swept across Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday after a 12-year-old girl, who had gone missing from central Kashmir’s Budgam district, was found dead near her home in what police suspect to be a case of rape and murder.
The minor girl had gone missing from the Galwanpora area of Budgam on Saturday evening, prompting her family to approach the police. Acting on the complaint, police registered a case related to the kidnapping of a minor and launched extensive search operations in the area.
However, the search ended in tragedy on Sunday morning when the girl’s body was recovered from a field located around 200 metres from her house.
Senior Superintendent of Police Budgam, Hariprasad K K, said preliminary investigation indicates that the case appears to involve rape and murder.
“A case of kidnapping a minor child was registered and searches were carried out. Unfortunately, the body of the child was found this morning. Prima facie it seems to be a case of rape and murder. Relevant sections of law have been added to the FIR,” the officer said.
The body has been sent for post-mortem examination while further investigation is underway.
The horrific incident triggered widespread condemnation across political and religious circles, with leaders expressing anguish and demanding swift justice for the victim.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah termed the incident “shocking and deeply distressing” and said the tragedy should force society to introspect.
“While the appropriate agencies enquire into the circumstances of her murder, it is also fitting that we reflect on where we as a society are headed when our young children are not safe,” the Chief Minister said, while assuring full support to investigating agencies to ensure exemplary punishment for the accused.
Chief preacher of Kashmir, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, said he was “heartbroken and deeply disturbed” by the incident.
“The circumstances surrounding this incident are extremely painful and have shaken the conscience of every human being,” he said, questioning the safety of children in society and calling for a transparent and time-bound investigation.
Former Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti also condemned the incident, describing it as “shocking, disconcerting and unsettling”.
“One shudders at the thought if our children are really safe,” she said in a post on X.
Jammu and Kashmir Social Welfare Minister Sakeena Itoo visited the bereaved family in Budgam and assured them of full government support. She strongly condemned the crime and said those involved must face the strictest punishment under law.
The incident has sparked fear and anger among residents of the area, with many demanding fast-track investigation and justice for the victim. Security and police officials continued to remain in the village through the day as authorities monitored the situation closely.
