KATHUA: “Rab kisi ko nahin chodta. Haq aur nahaq, jaayaz aur naajayaz ko dekh raha hai woh (The God does not spare anyone. What is right and wrong, He watches everything),” said the 35-year-old father of minor girl, whose brutal gang-raped and murder has shock the entire nation.
The family of 8-year-old, who belonged to the nomadic Bakerwal Muslim community silently packed their bags and accompanied by their livestock including 200-250 sheep and goat, besides over a dozen horses, set off for an unknown place like they do every summer.
Speaking to The Indian Express reporter over the phone, victim’s father cried saying, “If they had to take revenge, they could have picked someone else. She was an innocent child adding Usey apney haath aur paun mein pata nahin tha, ki mera daayan haath kaun sa hai aur baayan haath kaun sa hai. Kabhi usney yeh nahin samjha ki Hindu kya hota hai aur Musalmaan kya hota hai (She couldn’t tell her arms from her legs, couldn’t tell which hand was right and which left. She never thought who was a Hindu, who a Muslim).”
Victim’s father adopted the minor from his sister when she one-year-old, said he miss his daughter every day.
I miss my daughter everyday. Those responsible for killing my daughter should be hanged till death: Father of #Kathua rape and murder victim pic.twitter.com/OGSVdRWxfq
— ANI (@ANI) April 13, 2018
The youngest of three children, she would give company to her mother in household chores and care for the family’s horses and their newborn lambs, the report added.
It is even excruciating to think that the little one was detained and tortured in the devasthan (prayer hall) nearby, that he passed it every day and never thought of searching as knowing it to be a pious place.
Sanjhi Ram, the caretaker of the temple, has been named as the main accused and is said to have planned the heinous crime to instil fear among the Bakarwal community to which the victim belonged.
ALSO READ: Kathua rape-murder: Renuka Shahane’s powerful Facebook post is a must read
“Humari sab se wadi adalat woh Allah ki adalat hai, jisme har kisi ka faisla hota hai. Humney usi adalat pe chorh diya hai. Jo mera Rabh karega, bas (Our highest court is that of Allah, in which everyone is put on trial. We have left the matter to that court, whatever my Allah will decide is final),” he added.
He hasn’t lost his faith in humanity and is also satisfied with the work of J&K Police.
“Only a handful of people are protesting against the investigation. The state Chief Minister and investigating officials are Muslims. Most Hindus and Muslims of the region condemn the murder and want the accused punished,” he insists.
“Humanity comes first, before one’s religion as a Hindu or Muslim. We would have come on the roads seeking justice if this had happened to a Hindu girl,” he adds.
ALSO READ: Kathua rape-murder case: Sonam, Farhan Richa, Renuka demand justice
On January 10, 8 year old was abducted from a spot near her house close to Rasana village in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir. She was reportedly held in captivity for a week by the accused in a small village temple in the district. She was kept sedated and sexually assaulted once again before she was bludgeoned to death.