Scores of students of Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Science (SKIMS) Srinagar on Tuesday carried out peaceful protest outside the institute to demand speedy punishment for the culprit of Bandipora rape case.
On May 8, a 3-year-old girl was raped by a local boy Tahir Rehman son/of Abdul Rahman Mir of Malikpora Trehgam Sumbal area of district Bandipora. The boy is said to be more than 20 years old, and is under arrest.
SKIMS students peacefully registered the protest against the incident. “The protest was participated by every student irrespective of any religion, region or community,” a statement issued to the press by the protesting students read.
Terming the incident as a shameful ugly spot on the face of Kashmir, the students in the protest were also heard shouting slogans like “Justice for Asifa”, referring to the case of an 8-year-old girl of Kathua Jammu, who was gang-raped and murdered last year and still the culprits have not been convicted.
The protesting SKIMS students were raising slogans like “Justice for the Victim, Punishment for the culprit, Girls are not toys, Rapist has no religion, Justice For Asifa” etc.
The protesters were seen as demanding punishment for all rapists. “As the rape culture has been seen in alarming rate for last few years. But no rapist has been punished in such way to make other rapists learn a lesson,” they said.
While sharing their views during the protest, one protester Ananya Jamwal, an MBBS student from Jammu said, “We as medical students consider it as our duty to educate the youth about the evils taking place in the society and we demand justice for the victim at the earliest hours, as we believe justice delayed is justice denied.”
Another MBBS student Ainul Huda said that “child abuse and rape have been a kind of trend in Kashmir.”
“These heinous crimes are rising day by day. We demand only the death penalty for all these rapists and criminals so that none will dare to commit such crimes in future,” she said.
On May 13, major parts of Kashmir division were shut and Magam Budgam, Khomeini Chowk Budgam, Chanabal Baramullah witnessed violent clashes.