Jammu, Aug 22: Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Saturday strongly condemned the recent death of a minor girl in Kishtwar district, which followed an alleged attempted abortion after a rape, stating that the government would not tolerate any violence, injustice, or cruelty against children.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the 15-year-old girl, belonging to a tribal community, had been reportedly raped repeatedly by a teacher at her school for several months, leading to her pregnancy. Her subsequent death occurred after an alleged botched abortion in the Chatroo area of Kishtwar district on Thursday. Authorities have arrested the accused teacher, along with the school’s headmaster and his brother.
Addressing the incident, Choudhary described it as “unfortunate and disturbing,” and confirmed that police have initiated action in the case. He asserted that any form of injustice or cruelty towards girls, or children in general, would not be tolerated, and warned that no individual should presume they could mistreat or violate others with impunity.
The Deputy Chief Minister further clarified that while the police do not fall under the direct administrative control of the elected Jammu and Kashmir government, this separation could not serve as an excuse for permitting injustice, particularly against girls. He stated that if such incidents continue to rise, the government under Omar Abdullah would not tolerate it and would pursue all necessary measures to prevent them.
Speaking to reporters after conducting an unscheduled inspection of a government hospital in Jammu, Choudhary also took strong exception to the deployment of girl students at the hospital’s reception counters, ordering immediate corrective actions. He had visited the hospital following complaints of mismanagement and observed several issues, directing the hospital superintendent to implement urgent rectifications.
Choudhary expressed particular surprise at seeing girl students assigned to reception duties, deeming it inappropriate for their educational purpose at the facility. He instructed that security personnel should instead be deployed for such tasks, emphasizing that guiding patients and visitors about doctor availability and locations is the responsibility of security staff or specifically assigned personnel. The hospital administration has been instructed to address this matter to ensure students are not assigned duties unrelated to their educational pursuits.
Meanwhile, protests have continued for the third consecutive day across various parts of the Jammu region, including Jammu, Kishtwar, and Doda districts. Demonstrators, many of whom are students, have expressed outrage over the rape and death of the 15-year-old girl, demanding an impartial inquiry to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice. Protesters have called for the strictest possible punishment for the culprits and accountability from any negligent officials, urging authorities to guarantee a transparent investigation and effective preventive measures against future incidents.
The Chenab Times News Desk