Kathua rape and murder case: The girl's father requested Supreme Court to transfer the case.
The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Jammu and Kashmir government to provide protection to the family of the eight-year-oldho was raped and murdered in Kathua. The family had requested the Supreme Court to transfer the trial out of the state, citing a backlash and lack of security for his family. Eight people, including a juvenile have been accused of sexually assaulting the girl for a week before bludgeoning her to death.
In view of the Hindu-Muslim polarisation over the case, the Jammu and Kashmir government has appointed two special public prosecutors, both Sikhs, for the trial in the sensitive case.
Thousands of people have joined protests, carrying placards and forming human chains in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Goa, and across Kerala, demanding justice for the girl. Two state BJP ministers - who had participated in a rally in support of the accused- have resigned from the Mehbooba Mufti government.
The child was kidnapped on January 10. Over the next week, she was drugged, starved, repeatedly gangraped and then murdered.
Here are the highlights in the Kathua rape and murder case:
Father of 8-year-old girl said, "We want justice, the culprits should be hanged. We feel the need for having security as anything can happen."
Deepika S Rajawat, the lawyer representing the family of the Kathua child said:
- We are thankful to Supreme Court for protecting us
- We asked for protection because I don't think trial will run smoothly in Kathua
- We have seen the way crime branch team was prevented
- We were praying that trial should be transfer to any place probably to Chandigarh
- Also we were praying for security that has been given
- Let Supreme Court monitor the further investigation, we came before court with clean hands
A 'hoax' hartal call on social media to protest the alleged gangrape and murder of an 8-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua region triggered tension in various parts of Kerala today, prompting the police to sound a high alert, reports news agency PTI.
Here's what the family of the 8-year-old in the Kathua case told the Supreme Court:
- The eight-year-old's father expressed satisfaction with the investigation so far, conducted by Jammu and Kashmir police.
- He opposed the plea for CBI investigation demanded by others.
"We are apprehensive that the trial will not happen peacefully, seeing the condition in Jammu... Seeing that lawyers opposed it in Kathua and did not let the chargesheet proceed," the family's lawyer said.
Supreme Court asks Jammu and Kashmir government to provide security to the murdered child's family and their lawyer
SC to hear two separate pleasThe Supreme Court today agreed to hear at 2 PM two separate petitions including the one filed by Kathua-based lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat, representing the family of an eight-year-old girl who was gangraped and killed, alleging that she was facing threat to her life for pursuing the matter.
Another plea filed by Delhi-based lawyer Anuja Kapur, seeks transfer of the sensational gangrape case from Kathua trial court to a local court in the national capital.
"We are apprehensive that the trial will not happen peacefully, seeing the condition in Jammu... Seeing that lawyers opposed it in Kathua and did not let the chargesheet proceed," a lawyer of the family said. "We request the Supreme Court to transfer this case to some other state," the lawyer added.
Next hearing will take place on April 28.
Court directed that chargesheet copies should be provided to all accused, we are ready for narco tests. Next date of hearing is April 28: Ankur Sharma, Counsel for accused
The alleged conspirator Sanji Ram and others have been brought to court for hearing.
The Defence lawyer says his client has not been provided copy of chargesheet. "I am representing the Head Constable, booked for destruction of evidence. As per my information, my clients haven't been provided the copy of the chargesheet," he said.
The child, belonging to a nomadic community, was kidnapped on January 10. Over the next week, she was drugged, starved, repeatedly gangraped and then murdered. It has been alleged that the crime was committed to warn off the Muslim nomadic community away from the areas belonging to Hindus.
A group of 49 retired civil servants wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, holding him responsible for what they called a "terrifying state of affairs".
Hearing to take place today at the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate 
Mehbooba Mufti Must Resign, Says BJP Minister Who Quit Over KathuaAfter resigning from the Jammu and Kashmir government amid criticism over his support for the accused who raped and murdered an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, former minister Lal Singh said that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti must take responsibility of the incident and quit."
Countrywide Protests Over Kathua, Unnao Rape Cases: 10 FactsDemonstrations were held in several cities across India, including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Goa and Bhopal on Sunday as public outrage over a spate of rape and murder of children spiral. Over the last two weeks, two cases have shaken the nation. Last Sunday, a 16-year-old, who was allegedly raped by a BJP lawmaker in Unnao, tried to commit suicide outside UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's house. The tipping point was the rape and murder of an 8-year-old in Kathua, where the chargesheet spoke of unspeakable brutality. A third -- the death of a 9-year-old girl in Surat, whose body was covered in over 80 wounds -- emerged on Sunday morning."
Kathua rape victim's lawyer said she fears for her life as she may get raped or murdered.
The rape and murder outraged the country after details were exposed in a police chargesheet. Demonstrations were held in several cities across India, including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Goa and Bhopal on Sunday as public outrage over a spate of rape and murder of children spiral.
The 8-year-old girl belonged to a nomadic Muslim community.