Call for Sharia law to deal with Bandipora guilty, cops face ire

Azhar Qadri
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, May 15

Mainstream politicians in Kashmir, including former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, have been calling for imposing Sharia law to deal with the guilty in the Bandipora rape case, while taking the Jammu and Kashmir Police to task for clashing with those protesting over the rape of a three-year-old.

The minor’s rape has sparked violent protests across the Valley, and the High Court, taking suo motu cognisance, today asked the police to file a status report on the case by Friday.

The protesters are demanding immediate punishment to the rapist, believed to be the infant’s neighbour.

 The incident took place on Wednesday last week. After three days of low-scale protests, these turned violent on Sunday when hundreds of demonstrators across several districts blocked roads and clashed with the police.

Even as Mufti called for stoning the guilty, others wanted the rapist hanged, while criticising the police.

“The right to protest seems to (be) missing in the J&K Police lexicon. An FIR has been filed against persons protesting against the rape of a three-year-old. How insensitive!” Imran Raza Ansari of Sajad Lone’s Peoples Conference said. Lone said he had urged the Governor that protesters should “not be dealt with force” as the protests were a “natural and instinctive outpouring”. 

Srinagar Mayor Junaid Mattu said the police action was “completely unwarranted”.