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Maneka Gandhi to ask for death penalty in child rape cases

In the wake of public outrage over the gang-rape of an 8-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district, Union…

Maneka Gandhi to ask for death penalty in child rape cases

Union Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Maneka Gandhi (Photo: IANS/File)

In the wake of public outrage over the gang-rape of an 8-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district, Union Minister Maneka Gandhi on Friday declared that her ministry intends to amend the POCSO Act to make provision for the death penalty in child rape cases.

“I have been deep, deeply disturbed by the rape case in Kathua and all the recent rape cases that have happened on children. I and the (Women and Child Development) Ministry intend to bring an amendment to the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act asking for the death penalty for rape on children below 12 years,” the minister said in a video message.

Eight people, including mastermind Sanji Ram, have been charged with abduction, rape and murder of the eight-year-old girl from the Bakherwal community in Rasana village in January.

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Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) on Thursday asked Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to come clean on the alleged involvement of two of her cabinet ministers in instigating trouble in Kathua region following the gang rape and murder of the minor girl.

The body of the girl, from the Bakherwal community, was recovered from Rassana forest on January 17, a week after she went missing while grazing horses in the forest area.

According to reports, the two BJP ministers — Forest Minister Lal Singh and Industries Minister Chander Prakash Ganga — had gone to the place of agitation at Rasana in Kathua in March.

“The Chief Minister should clarify her stand on the involvement of two senior ministers instigating trouble in Kathua with regard to the brutal murder and rape of an eight-year-old nomad girl,” JKPCC chairman GA Mir said.

He said both the ministers should have been sacked on day one for giving “communal colour” to the shameful act of rape and murder.

(With inputs from agencies)

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