Anantnag:A 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a 28-year-old married man in Lidroo area of Pahalgam in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Speaking to The Kashmiriyat, the brother of the teenager said that the man belonged to the same village and wooed the teenager a year ago, and had been raping her for several weeks.
“A few days ago, my sister complained of pain suddenly and I took her to the hospital for a check-up where the doctors told us that the teenager was pregnant. I spoke to my sister who said that she had been raped by the man,” he told The Kashmiriyat.
We initially tried to speak to the accused, who refused involvement in anything of this sort, he said.
The doctors referred the girl to Anantnag’s Maternity and Child care hospital, where she delivered a child on Friday afternoon. “The Accused has been held by the Police and the investigation has already started,” he said.
The family of the victim approached the District court of Anantnag who directed the Police to launch an investigation into the matter. The petition was filed by the family with the help of a Anantnag based Journalist Sajad Muniwari.
The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Anantnag in its order said, A girl apparently of the age of 13 to 14 years (name withheld) approached this office though her brother Altaf Ahmad Lone and Mr. Sajad Mulwari who is working with The Daily Excelsior as Journalist with a allegations that the girl minor has been continuously raped and she is pregnant. The girls hails from Lidroo Pahalgam as per their stand they have not approached the police so far and no case has been registered so far.
“District Legal Services Authorities Anantnag is meant to give access to justice all those who are entitled under the Legal Services Authorities Act, giving effect to constitutional guarantee of access to justice; social economic and political. In the instant case if the age of the girl (name withheld) is less then 16 years then her consent is immaterial under law and any intercourse shall amount to rape,” the copy of the order accessed by The Kashmiriyat reads.
Therefore keeping in view the circumstances at this stage I deem it proper to immediately refer her to medical help and also call the report from SHO Police Station Pahalgam about the incident and ascertainment about the facts; who are at berty to proceed in due course of law, the DLSA said.
The DLSA also directed the Principal GMC Anantnag, CMO Anantnag and Incharge Maternity Hospital Sherbagh Anantnag to coordinate and synergize their efforts and provide each and every medical help to the girl (name withheld).
The District Legal Services Authorities Anantnag also appointed Ms. Romana Yousuf Advocate as a penal lawyer to see her rights are not violated and see what remedies are available to her under the Victim Compensation Scheme after the report from Police Station Pahalgam is received.
