Massive outrage has gripped Jammu and Kashmir following the alleged sexual assault and death of a nomadic woman from Rajouri in Srinagar’s Nishat area.
The woman, a member of the Bakerwal tribe, was reportedly attacked by a group of intoxicated men near Water Works Road while grazing her livestock on Sunday evening. She later succumbed to her injuries en route to the hospital.
Police have arrested four individuals in connection with the case and registered an FIR. Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Srinagar has remanded the accused to six days of police custody as investigations continue.
Markets in Brein and Nishat remained shut on Monday as locals protested the incident.
“This inhuman act has shocked us all. We want justice and strict punishment for the guilty,” said Abdul Rasheed, a resident of the area. Protesters demanded exemplary punishment, with some calling for the accused to be hanged.
Religious leaders, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), condemned the assault, describing it as a “barbaric crime” and a sign of “moral and spiritual collapse.” The MMU blamed the rising influence of alcohol, drugs, and obscenity for such incidents and urged authorities to act swiftly.
Political condemnation has also been strong. National Conference leaders Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mian Altaf Ahmad Larvi, and Mian Mehar Ali called for a fast-track probe.
Mian Mehar Ali wrote on social media: “A Bakerwal girl has been brutally assaulted and sexually assaulted, leading to her death. I demand a fast-track investigation and exemplary punishment to the perpetrators.”
PDP President Mehbooba Mufti called the crime “heartbreaking” and linked it to rampant substance abuse. “This tragedy reflects the wider societal collapse we are witnessing,” she said.
Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone and Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari also demanded stringent punishment. Iltija Mufti alleged that the woman was tied to a tree and brutalized before being taken to a hospital, where no doctor was available to treat her.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the Valley, with voices from across society calling for justice and a broader reflection on the deepening social crisis.
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
