A prominent rights group in Kashmir — Coalition of Civil Society (CCS) — on Friday claimed the authorities denied lawyer’s access to family of the minor girl who was allegedly molested by soldiers. The girl in her statement shot on camera inside a police station denied the allegation. She and her father have been put in the Handwara police station. Police said that family requested for preventive custody.
However, a CCS spokesperson person said that on Thursday, the mother of the 16 year old minor girl, who has alleged sexual assault by the armed forces personnel of 21 RR, approached JKCCS for urgent and immediate legal assistance. Both the minor girl, aunt, and her father are under police custody since April 12 and 14 respectively. “The mother seeks that both be immediately released and allowed to return to their residence. The mother of the minor girl fears that her family members, particularly her 16-year-old daughter, are under pressure to make false statements. Already a video has been released and circulated by the Army that reveals her identity and seeks to exonerate the Army of sexual assault. The mother of minor girl also seeks that investigations in this case be done as per the law with full care and consideration being provided to the fact that the complainant is a minor girl.”
The spokesperson said that the legal team of JKCCS led by Advocate Parvez Imroz reached the outskirts of Handwara town by around 10:30 am on Friday morning. “The team sought to meet the mother of the minor girl and following consultations approach the High Court, Srinagar Bench, by the close of the day. Besides consultations on the case, relevant signatures on court documents needed to be taken.” The team was not allowed to contact the girl as police prevented the lawyer’s team to enter the area under curfew.