Kathua gang rape and murder: Meet the men accused in this horrible case

An eight-year-old girl was allegedly abducted, drugged, raped, tortured and killed in January. The victim belonged to a nomadic Muslim tribe in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir. After being missing for a week, her body was found on January 17.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police filed an FIR against lawyers of Jammu who tried to prevent Crime Branch officers from filing a charge sheet in a court on Monday in connection with the Kathua rape and murder case.

A special team of the crime branch has made a case of conspiracy, kidnapping, wrongful confinement, gang rape, murder and destruction of evidence against eight accused, which include: Sanjhi Ram, the suspected mastermind, who is a former revenue official and local strongman; his son Vishal Kumar, a college student; Ram’s 16-year-old nephew who is the juvenile, and his friend Parvesh Kumar; Special Police Officers (SPOs) of Hiranagar police station Deepak Khajuria and Surinder Kumar; Sub Inspector of Hiranagar police station Anand Dutta, who was also investigating officer in the case, and Head Constable Tilak Raj.

The lawyers of Jammu Bar Association observed a bandh on Wednesday and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the case.

The lawyers have questioned the credibility of the Crime Branch officials, who according to them are mostly from Kashmir.

The members of Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) also on Wednesday staged a protest here, demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)-led inquiry in the Kathua rape case. The protestors also demanded deportation of Rohingyas from Jammu.

Here’s what we know so far:

Sanji Ram, 60: A retired revenue department official, who’s believed to be the main conspirator and wanted to remove the nomadic Sunni-Muslim Bakerwal community from his native Rasanad village. He allegedly incited his nephew, reportedly a minor to abduct the eight-old as revenge for Bakerwals beating up the boy in the past. 

Sanji Ram’s nephew: A minor he was reportedly expelled from his school in Hiranagar for misbehaving with girls. Reportedly an alcoholic and drug user, he is believed to have strangulated the girl before smashing her face with a stone.

Deepak Khajuria: A special police officer who had a bone to pick with Bakerwal community. Depeak convinced Sanji Ram’s nephew to kidnap the girl by promising to help him pass his board exams.

Parvesh Kumar aka Mannu: A friend of the juvenile who helped him execute the plan. On January 10, he drugged the girl along with the juvenile. They took her to Sanjiv Ram’s (religious place) and locked her up and gang-raped her there.

Vishal Jangotra AKA Shamma: Sanji Ram’s son who studies in Meerut. He is accused o raping the juvenile and took the victim to a nearby culvert on Sajnji Ram’s instrucitons to kill her.

Tilak Raj: A constable who is believed to have a struck a deal with Sanji Ram. He took Rs 1.5 lakh to scuttle the probe. He is reportedly friends with Sanji Ram’s sister Tripta Devi.

Anand Dutta: A sub-inspector, who was paid Rs 3 lakh in total through Tilak. Asked the juvenile to stick to a planned version of events.  

Surinder Kumar: Worked with Deepak Kumar and conducted recce of surroundings of Sanji Ram’s Devasthan.