Death for rapists: Kathua vitcim’s parents

Srinagar: The parents of Kathua gang-rape and murder victim have said that all that they want is exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of crime. "We want nothing but phansi (noose) for these cruel people," said Rafeeza Banoo, the victim's mother.

Muhammad Akhter Hussein Pajwala, father of the 8-year-old nomad girl who was held captive in a temple in Rasana village of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district for about one week during which she was allegedly drugged and gang-raped before her brutal murder in January this year, while endorsing the demand said, "We want justice. The perpetrators must face gallows."

The couple and several other Bakarwal (herdsmen) families along with their live stock are currently on the move. They may reach Kashmir valley in about one week in the bi-annual migration of nomadic tribes. Majority of nomadic Gujjar and Bakarwal tribes move between the pastures in Kashmir valley and Jammu region of the state after every six months with the change in weather. "They committed worst cruelty. My daughter was very beautiful and bright. What wrong had she done to them that they murdered her in such diabolic and barbaric way?" asked Banoo who is also known to her relatives as Razia Begum. "Bahut yaad aati hai. Aaaj bhi oss ki rah tak rahi hoon (I miss her a lot. Even today, I think she is just on way to home)".

Ms Banoo said that after the gang-rape and murder of her daughter, the family was not allowed to bury her body at Rasana. "They didn't allow us to bury her in local cemetery," she said. She added, "We returned to Rasana at around midnight after burying her in a different village. From then on they made life hell for us."

Mr Hussein said that after the incident, the majority community of Rasana prevented the nomads from fetching potable water from the local sources. "They ensured our lives become miserable and we are but forced to leave Rasana," he alleged. Ms Banoo reiterated, "They should be awarded death penalty. They killed our daughter in cruel and painful way. We must get justice. That's all we want. We don't need anything else."

Mr Hussein said, "They must meet the fate they subjected our daughter to for no fault of her…they should be hanged till death." The protests, rallies and candle-light vigils against the gang-rape and murder of the nomadic girl are being held all across the Kashmir valley.