Kathua rape and murder: Omar Abdullah asks PM Modi to break silence

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Friday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence over the rape and killing of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua district of the State.

“Hon PM sir, there isn’t a day when we don’t hear you speak about things that are important to you yet there are times when you are completely silent about things that are important to others,” he tweeted.

Abdullah requested the Prime Minister not to let the girl be “someone you choose to remain silent about”.

Abdullah also asked the ministers who supported the killers and threatened the police not to make arrests in the case to step down and said that they have no right to stay in the cabinet.

''Ministers who supported the killers of Kathua rape and murder case victim and threatened police not to make arrests have no right to stay in the cabinet. Mehbooba Mufti should take action just like she took against Haseeb Drabu (ex J&K FM), whose crime wasn't this heinous,'' Omar Abdullah said.

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

The girl had disappeared from a spot near her house close to Rasana village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua on January 10. A week later, her body was found in the same area.

A Special Investigation Team, formed to probe the incident, has arrested eight people, including two special police officers (SPOs) and a head constable, who was charged with destroying evidence.