Srinagar

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday urged Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to hand over the Kishtwar rape and death case to the crime branch for a transparent and time-bound investigation.

In a post on X, Mehbooba, the former chief minister of J-K, said the incident is not merely another instance of rising crimes against women, but "is a deep, festering wound on the conscience of our society."

The rape and murder of a school girl in Chatroo, Kishtwar, is not merely another instance of rising crimes against women. It is a deep, festering wound on the conscience of our society.Ten days on, the silence surrounding this brutal crime is only deepening the anguish of the…

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 29, 2026

"Ten days on, the silence surrounding this brutal crime is only deepening the anguish of the grieving family and eroding public faith in the justice system. If decisive action is not taken now and the perpetrators brought to justice with exemplary punishment, such heinous crimes will continue with impunity," she said.

The PDP chief urged Sinha to immediately hand over the case to the crime branch for a fair, transparent and time-bound investigation.

A 15-year-old tribal girl was allegedly sexually assaulted repeatedly by her school teacher over several months, resulting in her pregnancy.

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She died on August 20 following an alleged attempt to terminate the pregnancy in the Chatroo area of Kishtwar district in Jammu.