Jammu, May 26 (KNO): Senior BJP leader and MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia Pathania on Tuesday termed the alleged rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in Budgam a “barbaric and unimaginable” crime, demanding capital punishment for the accused and swift justice through fast-track courts.
He said the incident was not merely a crime against a single family, but a devastating commentary on the moral decay creeping into society. He urged collective efforts to ensure Jammu and Kashmir remains safe for women and children.
In a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Pathania said, “My heart bleeds and my head hangs in absolute, unmitigated shame. A twelve-year-old child—an innocent soul who left her home not to wander into danger, but to seek spiritual solace at a religious sermon—has been subjected to the most barbaric, unimaginable horrors of rape and murder.”
He added, “This is not just a crime against one family; this is a foundational fracture in our civilization. It is a devastating, sickening commentary on the moral decay creeping into our society. How have we fallen so low? How have we become a society where a child cannot find safety even on a path leading to God?”
While commending law enforcement agencies for swiftly apprehending a primary suspect, Pathania emphasized that routine procedures are not enough. “Justice delayed in a case of this magnitude is justice denied,” he noted.
“On behalf of every conscientious citizen of Jammu and Kashmir, and indeed the entire country, I demand nothing less than capital punishment—the gallows—for the perpetrators of this demonic act. The fast-track courts must act with unprecedented urgency. The punishment must be swift, it must be severe, and it must serve as a chilling deterrent.”
He further said, “Let a loud, clear, and uncompromising message go out from the soil of Jammu and Kashmir to the entire nation: The dignity, welfare, well-being, and security of our daughters and children are sacrosanct. They are non-negotiable. They are the ultimate red line. Anyone who dares to cross this line will not just face the law; they will be crushed by the full, unyielding might of the state.”
Pathania reminded the public that Jammu and Kashmir has historically been a land of saints, spiritual harmony, and deep-rooted respect for women. “We refuse to let the actions of sub-human predators redefine who we are. We will root out this rot. We will ensure that J&K remains a safe, secure, and sacred haven for our families, our children, and every visitor who sets foot here.”
Offering his condolences to the grieving family, Pathania made a solemn vow: “You are not alone in this dark hour. The entire country stands with you. We will not rest, we will not relent, and we will not stay silent until absolute justice is delivered. We must all strive for a Jammu and Kashmir that is completely safe for women, and especially for children.”—(KNO)