Jammu and Kashmir Police have filed an over 1,000-page chargesheet against 15 people, including a government school headmaster, two doctors, hospital employees and a community leader, in connection with the alleged sexual exploitation and subsequent death of a minor tribal girl in Kishtwar district.
The chargesheet, filed by the Crime Branch last week before the Munsiff Judge in Kishtwar, who is holding charge as the Principal District and Sessions Judge, details an alleged chain of concealment and intimidation that prevented the sexual abuse from being reported to police until the girl died on August 20 following complications during an attempt to terminate her pregnancy.
Investigators allege that the accused headmaster, Khalid Hussain, sexually exploited the schoolgirl and subsequently enlisted the help of relatives, associates and others to suppress the matter after her pregnancy came to light.
𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱
Apart from Hussain, the chargesheet names Dr Rekha Sharma, a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery posted at a local Primary Health Centre, and Dr Shafqat Shabir Bhawani, who operates a diagnostic and imaging centre near Kishtwar District Hospital.
Both doctors, along with local community leader Manzoor Ahmed, have been charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for allegedly failing to report the minor's pregnancy to police.
Other accused include National Health Mission-associated junior staff nurse Sonika Parihar, sanitation worker Zareena Begum, teacher Abdul Latief Bhanday and Haroon Rashid Mir, who allegedly operated an unauthorised medical shop from the Primary Health Centre premises.
The chargesheet also names Tariq Hussain, Farooq Ahmed, Ghulam Qadir Sheikh, Noor Din, Peer Baksh and Mohammad Ishaq, identified as relatives or alleged supporters of the headmaster.
According to the investigation, the two doctors and Manzoor Ahmed are currently out on bail, while the other arrested accused remain in jail. A driver identified as Reyaz is yet to be arrested.
𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱
The investigation found that the girl's pregnancy was discovered at a Primary Health Centre approximately 10 days before her death.
Police allege that Hussain subsequently attempted to prevent the matter from reaching law enforcement agencies by involving family members, associates and influential community figures.
According to the chargesheet, the girl's father was threatened with social boycott if he approached the police and was pressured into signing a settlement document, locally described as a raazi-nama.
Investigators said they recovered the document, and a forensic examination confirmed its authenticity.
The chargesheet alleges that the arrangement was intended to suppress the sexual abuse allegations and facilitate the termination of the girl's pregnancy without police intervention.
𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆
Investigators allege that employees of Kishtwar District Hospital were enlisted in exchange for money to facilitate the termination of the pregnancy.
The minor was taken to the hospital on August 19, where her age was allegedly falsified in medical records to portray her as an adult.
The chargesheet states that attempts to terminate the pregnancy, which was at an advanced stage, resulted in complications and a deterioration in her condition.
She was subsequently shifted to Government Medical College, Doda, where doctors referred her to Government Medical College, Jammu, because of her critical condition.
However, the girl died while being transported to Jammu, near Udhampur, on August 20.
Police further allege that the vehicle used to transport her, reportedly owned by Hussain, was washed in an attempt to destroy evidence.
𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹, 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
The case came to police attention following information about the suspicious circumstances surrounding the girl's death.
Authorities initially initiated inquest proceedings, ordered the preservation of DNA samples from the minor and the stillborn child, and registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the POCSO Act.
The investigation was subsequently transferred to the Crime Branch, which constituted a Special Investigation Team under the supervision of Inspector General of Police Sarah Rizvi.
The SIT has cited statements from witnesses, including the victim's parents, along with call detail records, CCTV footage, banking and ATM transaction records, hospital documents and other material in support of its findings.
The forensic results of DNA samples collected from the girl, the stillborn child, Hussain and one of his brothers are still awaited.
Officials said a supplementary chargesheet would be filed after the DNA reports are received.
𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
The girl's death had triggered protests across Kishtwar in August, with residents demanding accountability and action against those allegedly involved.
Police initially arrested the headmaster and his brother before expanding the investigation to include hospital employees and other suspected participants.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration subsequently terminated the services of the accused headmaster and a sanitation worker attached to Kishtwar District Hospital.
The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes had also intervened, seeking a report from the administration and questioning the initial failure to invoke provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Police later invoked the relevant provisions of the legislation.
The chargesheet now places the alleged roles of school authorities, medical personnel and community members under judicial scrutiny, with the investigation continuing pending forensic findings.