NC seeks death sentence for accused

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 20

While the ruling National conference (NC) sought death sentence for those accused of raping a girl in Pulwama, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and Member Parliament Mehbooba Mufti has called for setting up fast-track courts to ensure speedy justice in cases involving violence against women

In a statement issued here today, Mehbooba sought a foolproof legal framework to address the growing incidents of violence against women and girls in Jammu and Kashmir.

She expressed anguish and pain over the recurrent incidents of violence such as rape, murder, sexual assaults and acid attacks against women and girls in the state.

“Violence against women is not a women’s issue, it’s a human rights issue. Such incidents should be dealt through a comprehensive legislative framework so that not only justice is ensured to the victims but a legal mechanism is also put in place to prevent recurrence of such reprehensible acts,” the PDP president said.

Maintaining that the justice system was key to addressing the menace of violence against the women, Mehbooba said if the PDP gets the mandate to form the next government, it would bring in laws so that every girl and woman can live safely, feel protected and grow up free of violence in the state.

A driver was arrested yesterday for allegedly murdering a girl, 20, missing since last month, in Pulwama district.

The National Conference today, while condemning in the strongest of terms the rape and murder of the girl in Pulwama, demanded that the culprit be handed out a death sentence.

NC spokesman Junaid Azim Mattu said the people of the state expected swift and time-bound justice in the case and it was imperative that an example be set by punishing the culprit so that such crimes are prevented in future.

“This crime has shocked the entire state and one cannot even imagine the pain and sorrow the family of the victim must be going through. Although no legal measure, verdict or sentence can bring back this daughter of the nation, this, without any doubt, is an inconsolable tragedy.

“We demand fast-tracked judicial proceedings in the matter and ask for the sternest of punishments be considered for the culprit so that a sense of justice is upheld. This without a doubt seems like a rarest of the rare scenarios of injustice and barbarism and hence, we demand the honorable courts consider hanging the culprit,” the NC spokesman said in a statement issued from the party headquarters in Srinagar.

He also implored on the community leaders, religious scholars and social activists to work towards evolving an understanding of the perils of social waywardness and work together to ensure that “our society remains safe for women”.