Kathua 'gangrape and murder' case: Court directs FIR against SIT members

Jammu: Four months after six people were convicted in the 2018 rape and murder of an eight-year-old nomadic girl in a Kathua village, a court here directed the police on Tuesday to register an FIR against six members of the SIT, which probed the case, for allegedly torturing and coercing witnesses to give false statements.

Judicial Magistrate Prem Sagar gave the direction to SSP of Jammu on an application by Sachin Sharma, Neeraj Sharma and Sahil Sharma, who were witnesses in the case, saying cognizable offences are made out against the six.

The court directed registration of FIR against the then SSP RK Jalla (rtd), ASP Peerzada Naveed, deputy superintendents of police Shetmbari Sharma and Nissar Hussain, SI Urfan Wani and Kewal Kishore of crime branch, and asked the SSP (Jammu) to report compliance by November 11.