Srinagar, May 25, 2026
Police in Jammu & Kashmir’s Budgam district on Monday arrested one accused in the kidnap, rape, and murder of a minor, who had gone missing on Saturday and whose body was recovered on May 24.
Police today said that one of the accused, identified as Mudasir, was arrested within 24 hours of the incident.
Efforts are underway to arrest the other accused as well. Police have added that they will ensure the accused persons receive the harshest punishment for the gruesome crime.
A 12-year-old girl was kidnapped, raped, and then murdered in the Galwanpora area of Budgam district on Saturday, sending shockwaves across the Valley.
The incident shook people, as it occurred on a day when the valley was preparing to celebrate the holiest Muslim festival, Eid-ul-Azha, or Bakr Eid, which marks the successful completion of the Hajj pilgrimage.
On Sunday, police constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) after the body of the minor girl was recovered from a field close to her village, hours after she went missing on May 23.
Senior Superintendent of Police Budgam, Hariprasad K K, had said preliminary investigation suggested the case appears to be one of rape and murder.
J&K L-G Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, chief cleric and senior religious leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, joined lakhs of Kashmiris who expressed shock, grief, anger, and outrage at the heinous crime.
People have demanded that the guilty must be brought to justice quickly and given the harshest punishment, as such brutes have no right to remain alive and roam freely in society.
Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), including exclusive Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) courts, are dedicated tribunals established across the country for the speedy, time-bound trial of rape and child sexual abuse cases.
Operating under a centrally sponsored scheme, these courts mandate that trials be concluded within one year of taking cognisance.(Agency)
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