Srinagar: A 12-year-old girl, who was reported missing in Budgam district, was found murdered around 200 metres from her house on Sunday, police said.
A senior police officer said the girl was reported missing on Saturday evening from the Galwanpora area of the district.
“A case of kidnapping a minor child was registered and searches were carried out. Unfortunately, the body of the child was found this morning,” SSP Budgam Hariprasad K K said.
He said the body was sent for a post-mortem examination.
“Prima facie, it seems to be a case of rape and murder. We have added the relevant sections of the law to the FIR,” PTI quoted the SSP as saying.
Meanwhile, Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, Sakeena Itoo, today visited the bereaved family in Budgam to express solidarity and condolences following the tragic incident that has shaken the area.
Interacting with the family members, the minister conveyed deep sorrow over the unfortunate incident and assured them that the government stands firmly with them during this difficult time. She said that all possible assistance and support from the government would be extended to the affected family, an official press release informed.
It said Itoo strongly condemned the incident and termed it highly unfortunate and unacceptable in a civilized society. She emphasized that those involved in the act must be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law and called for exemplary punishment to the culprits.
MLA Pampore, Justice (retd.) Hasnain Masoodi; MLA Zainapora, Showkat Hussain Ganie; Aga Syed Mehmood and others also accompanied the minister.
Meanwhile, the police in Budgam have urged the general public and media to refrain from posting, sharing, or circulating the name, photographs, or any identifying details of the minor victim, as well as from disseminating rumours or unverified information related to the incident.
Disclosure of the identity of a minor victim is prohibited under law. Any individual or group found involved in posting or circulating such prohibited content on social media shall face strict legal action in accordance with law, police warned.
Reiterating its commitment to conducting a fair and thorough investigation, pPolice said they are closely monitoring social media activities related to the case. “The public is requested to cooperate with the investigating agencies and to act responsibly by neither sharing nor believing unverified or misleading content on social media platforms,” police said.
