Hang The Accused Or Shoot Us: Mother Of Kathua Victim

Kathua: Mother of the eight year old girl, whose rape and murder drew massive public outcry, demanded that the accuded are hanged. Two days prior to the Supreme Court's decision on the Kathua trial, she made sensation with her latest comments. "If there is no justice, shoot all four of us," she said.

"They will kill us if they are freed. People in four villages are after our lives. We are only four people... everything is gone; our house, our entire property is gone," she added.

Citing security concerns in Jammu and Kashmir, the girl's father requested the Supreme Court to shift the trail out of Kathua. Pleading his request, family lawyer said to the Supreme Court, "We are apprehensive that the trial will not happen peacefully, seeing the condition in Jammu... seeing that lawyers opposed it in Kathua and did not let the chargesheet proceed."

Alleging local politicians' pressure to agree to a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the girl's mother wants a fair investigation by the Crime Branch of the state police," she said.

On Monday, the Supreme Court is expected to decide whether the case should be transferred for trial. The girl's parents have allegedly filed a petition requesting that the trail be shifted to Chandigarh.

Also Read: Two Accused In Kathua Rape Ask For CBI Probe

The Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices DY Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra indicated it will look into the request for shifting the trial and also the accused's plea seeking an investigation by the CBI.

The family, belonging to the Bakerwal Muslim nomads alleged, they face extreme discrimination after the child was raped and murdered. "The local people don't even let us use the pastures on the village outskirts for grazing goats after the incident...they will come after us if they are freed," the mother said.

Sanji Ram, the main accused in the case, said before his arrest that he would not allow grazing and fodder to Muslim nomads because there are Hindu shepherds who need this fodder. "I am not allowing their goats into our area. We have our Hindu gaddis. They have been saying we will build mosque on your house. If CBI inquiry is ordered you will know who has done this," he added.