A 15-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district died after allegedly being raped repeatedly by a teacher, resulting in pregnancy and a failed abortion attempt. The incident has sparked widespread outrage and protests in the region. The girl’s death occurred on Thursday evening while she was being taken to Jammu for an abortion.
Her body, along with that of the stillborn child, was taken to her village, triggering protests in Chatroo and other parts of Kishtwar on Friday. The accused, Khalid Ahmed Sheikh, a Teacher Grade-II and in-charge headmaster of the Middle School Bumalpora in Inderwal, was arrested by police along with his brother. A case was registered at the Chatroo police station under sections 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), 65(1) (rape of a woman below 16 years), 90 (death caused by an act intended to cause miscarriage), 91 (act intended to prevent a child from being born alive or to cause its death after birth) and 92 (causing the death of a quick unborn child by an act amounting to culpable homicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, besides sections 4 (punishment for penetrative sexual assault), 6 (punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault), 8 (punishment for sexual assault), 10 (punishment for aggravated sexual assault) and 17 (punishment for abetment) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Locals alleged that the girl was pregnant for months and had complained of stomach pain about a fortnight ago. A medical examination at a local health centre revealed her pregnancy, following which she told her parents that the teacher had sexually assaulted her repeatedly. The accused allegedly offered money to the girl’s family members and threatened them against approaching police.
The incident has sparked demands for a judicial inquiry and strict action against all those responsible. A complete bandh was observed in the Chatroo belt on Friday, while protests spread to several parts of Kishtwar after Friday prayers. The Chief Education Officer, Kishtwar, Sanjay Dogra, said the accused teacher was placed under suspension after the department received information about his alleged involvement in the case.
The victim was born on October 12, 2010. People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader and lawyer Sheikh Nasir Hussain demanded a fair, transparent, and time-bound investigation into the alleged rape and death of the minor. He called for the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) or a judicial inquiry and sought stringent legal action against all those responsible or involved in the case.
