Kathua rape case: Victim died of asphyxiation, doctors tell court
In the ongoing trial surrounding the Kathua rape case, the doctors who conducted the autopsy of the eight-year-old victim, have revealed that she had been sexually assaulted and died of asphyxiation. As many as 54 witnesses have appeared before the court so far. Earlier, on June 8, rape and murder charges were framed against the seven accused. Here are the details.
The doctors' statements have been recorded
A lawyer representing the doctors who conducted the post-mortem gave the statement, and it was recorded in court. The trial in the rape and murder case is being heard by Judge Tejwinder Singh of the Pathankot District and Sessions court, after the Supreme Court transferred the case from Kathua to Pathankot, following a plea by the victim's family.
Backstory: The barbaric Kathua rape
According to the chargesheet filed in the case, the eight-year-old victim was abducted on January 10. She was kept sedated, and was sexually assaulted and raped repeatedly in a temple for days. On January 14, the accused smashed the girl's head with a stone and dumped her body. The victim's disfigured body was found in a forest area near Kathua on January 17.
The seven accused in the case
In the first chargesheet filed on April 9, Sanji Ram, the custodian of the temple where the incident took place, his son Vishal, his juvenile nephew, special police officers Deepak Khajuria, Surender Verma, and their friend, Parvesh Kumar, were named. Subsequently, police also arrested Head Constable Tilak Raj and Sub-Inspector Anand Dutta for allegedly taking Rs. 4 lakh each from Ram for evidence destruction.
