Kathua rape case: Victim's family drops lawyer, says she was barely present in court
Jammu, Nov 15 (IBNS): In a new twist to the Kathua rape and murder case of Jammu and Kashmir, eight-year-old victim Asifa's family has dropped lawyer Deepika Rajawat saying the latter had appeared in the court hearings only twice, media reports said.
The family has said the power of attorney has been taken away and they have moved an application in Punjab's Pathankot court.
The father of the victim told reporters that out of 100 court hearings, Rajawat was present only on two occasions.
Rajawat had earlier said she was receiving death threats ever since she took up the case.
Asifa was allegedly raped, mutilated and killed by eight men inside a temple in Rassana area of Heeranagar, creating an uproar across the country.
The row had escalated after a few BJP leaders supported the accused people.
The Crime Branch later filed a charge sheet against the eight accused.
The incident occurred in January 2018. The accused were arrested and the trial began in Kathua on 16 April 2018.
The victim belonged to the nomad Bakarwal community. She was missing and later her body was recovered by the villagers a km away from the village.[
The arrests of the accused led to protests by the Panthers Party, and other groups.
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