Kathua rape-murder case: Mehbooba Mufti writes to J&K High Court; seeks fast-track court, 90-day trial

Amid outrage over brutal rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has written to the chief justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, requesting setting up of a special fast track court to finish the trial in 90 days.

The chief minister requested the chief justice for establishment of the special fast track court for the case, official sources said.

It would complete the trial in 90 days and would be the first such court in state, they said.

The state government has also decided to terminate from service the cops accused in the case, they added.

Earlier, Mufti lauded the people of Jammu for dismissing communal forces and their unwavering support for justice to an eight-year-old girl who was raped and killed in Kathua.

"I commend the manner in which the people of Jammu dismissed communal forces and were unwavering in their support for a little girl."It has strengthened my belief that Jammu serves as a model of inclusiveness and together the people of J-K inspire secular unity and righteousness," Mufti said in a tweet.

The rape and killing of the girl, who belonged to the nomadic Bakerwal Muslim community, has become a national issue. The gory details of the heinous crime surfaced following the filing of charges.

The girl had disappeared from a spot near her house close to Rasana village on January 10 while grazing horses in the forest area. Her body was found in the same area on January 17.

On January 23, the government had handed over the case to the Crime Branch which formed a special investigation team and arrested eight people, including two Special Police Officers (SPOs) and a head constable, who was charged with destroying evidence.

Two BJP ministers who had attended a rally in support of the accused persons in Kathua, yesterday submitted their resignations to party's state president Sat Sharma.

The BJP today decided to forward the resignation letters of the ministers - Choudhary Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga - to the Chief Minister.

"The state party president will send the resignations of two ministers to J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti later today. Further decisions will be taken by her," Senior BJP leader Ram Madhav said after a Legislative Party meeting in Jammu today.

A meeting of Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) was being held in Srinagar today to discuss the situation.

"I want justice for the 8-year-old at the earliest. This govt will soon bring a law in the state under which people who rape minors will be given the death penalty. The entire nation has come with her," Naeem Akhtar, a minister in the Mufti Cabinet, said after the PDP meeting.