
‘Humans scarier than wild animals': Woman's death after alleged gang rape numbs Kashmir's Bakarwals
While he held his dying wife in his arms, community members caught hold of the accused.
Restless, her husband decided to look for her. From a distance, he saw a man hit his wife on the head with a log of wood. Yelling, he rushed to the spot, along with others from the community, and found his 35-year-old wife soaked in blood, her clothes in shreds. 'She was barely breathing at that time,' the husband told ThePrint over the phone.
New Delhi: On Sunday evening, as the sun was setting, a woman from the Bakarwal community stepped out to bring cattle back to her family's makeshift home on the outskirts of Srinagar. Around an hour later, the cattle returned on their own, with no sign of her.
He was among a group of four men, who allegedly raped her. 'We immediately realised that she had been raped. The man that we caught was not wearing his pants, and his body was covered with blood,' the husband alleged.
The woman was rushed to a local hospital where she died about 20 minutes later due to an injury to the head. 'Then the doctors sent us to SMHS (Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital, Srinagar) with the body. A medical test (to ascertain rape) was conducted Sunday evening,' the husband said.
The autopsy was conducted the next morning, and the body was later returned to the family, he added.
Meanwhile, the accused apprehended by local residents was handed over to Nishat police station. Later, the three other men were arrested. All four men in their 40s, according to the husband, are in police custody. They have been charged under Sections 70(1) (gang rape), 109 (abetment), and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
'Both reports are pending for now, but a case has been filed against the accused. All four of them were Kashmiri locals and involved in drug consumption,' Parvez Ahmed, station house officer (SHO) of Nishat police station, told ThePrint.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves across the community in the Kashmir valley where the Bakarwals migrate to during summers, roaming around the meadows and later returning to places like Reasi, Poonch, Samba, Udhampur, Kathua and Rajouri. The Bakarwals are traditionally into animal husbandry, especially of sheep, goats, and cattle, and follow a transhumant lifestyle, moving seasonally between highland and lowland pastures.
'We are the people of the jungle. We have never even been scared of wild animals and snakes, yet some humans harmed us more than animals ever would,' the husband said.
Also Read: Varanasi 'gangrape': As PM calls for strict action, what family of 19-yr-old alleges in FIR
'A societal crisis'
On Monday evening, the woman, a mother of five, was buried in a jungle in Ganderbal district's Hari Ganiwa, where the Bakarwal community buries their dead since they have no permanent graveyards of their own.
The family had returned to the Kashmir valley from Reasi district on 29 April, as the mercury rose ahead of Bakra Eid.
The husband, who has been living in Kashmir for at least 20 years, said his wife spent days inside the compound of her makeshift home with the children and other women, while he would go out to graze the cattle. He said that his entire focus had been to educate the children, all of whom are still studying—in schools and colleges.
'When she was there, I had nothing to worry about in life. She knew how to take care of our daughters. Now she is no longer there,' he said, adding that his only demand is justice for his wife and strict punishment for the accused. 'She was brutally beaten. She was humiliated. I want them [the accused] to know what humiliation feels like.'
Raja Muzaffar Bhat, a social activist from Kashmir, highlighting the issues affecting tribal communities, told ThePrint that the incident has shocked the people of Kashmir.
'This is a clear indication that our society, especially the youth, are going astray and easy access to liquor and drugs is playing a great role in this,' he said.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti condemned the incident, in a post on 'X' Monday. Calling the incident 'tragic', she said, 'Reports suggest she suffered brutal injuries and succumbed en route to the hospital. The police have arrested the accused, who were reportedly intoxicated during the crime.'
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief also said that substance abuse is 'devastating' the youth and fueling horrific crimes like rape and murder. 'This tragedy reflects a broader societal crisis. My heartfelt condolences to the victim's family. I hope the perpetrators face the full force of the law.'
(Edited by Sanya Mathur)
Also Read: Does India have a rape culture? Pick a newspaper, maybe a mirror

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Print
8 hours ago
- The Print
Meghalaya murder plot finalised day before wedding, ‘Sonam's boyfriend gave 3 men Rs 50k to kill Raja'
According to sources, Sonam never told her family about her relationship with Kushwaha, who worked as an accountant for her family's business, or that she didn't want to marry Raja. Kushwaha, investigators said, had also never spoken of marriage to Sonam's family. All five—Sonam, Raj Kushwaha and the three men Akash Rajput, Anand Kurmi and Vishal Singh Chauhan—have been arrested. New Delhi: The plan to kill Raja Raghuvanshi was finalised on 10 May, a day before his wedding to Sonam, ThePrint has learnt. Sources said Raj Kushwaha, Sonam's suspected boyfriend, allegedly gave Rs 50,000 in cash and a mobile phone to three men before they boarded a train to Guwahati with the motive to kill Raja. Sources in the Madhya Pradesh police, which led a joint probe with the Meghalaya police in the murder case, said Kushwaha had asked the three men to only use the phone he gave them for communication with him. 'They were handed over the cash and the mobile phone before they boarded the train to Guwahati on 20 May. On the 22nd, they reached and drove down to Nongriat (in Meghalaya),' a senior police officer said. On 22 May, Sonam and Raja were also in Nongriat after reaching Shillong on 21 May for their honeymoon. Raja was killed on the intervening night of 23-24 May and his body was dumped in a gorge. After the murder, the three men hired by Kushwaha and Sonam left Meghalaya, stopping at Assam's Guwahati and then reaching Uttar Pradesh. While Sonam stayed in Uttar Pradesh, the other three went to Indore on 25 May. Kushwaha never travelled to Meghalaya. He had stayed back to coordinate the plan, sources added. Also Read: Meghalaya honeymoon murder: How bloodstained shirt & mangalsutra led police to suspect Sonam Raghuvanshi No escape plan Sources said that during interrogation Vishal Singh Chauhan confessed to having hit Raja with a machete (dao) first. The second blow came allegedly from Anand Kurmi. The sources said Sonam and Akash Rajput stood there, keeping an eye out. Asked how the accused planned to evade police after the murder, the sources said while the accused meticulously planned the murder, they did not plan how to deal with the police after that. The sources said the accused did discuss this among themselves but never decided on a plan. 'They weren't sure of the next plan of action. They are also changing statements. First, they said they only wanted to injure him, and Sonam would elope with Raja after returning. But then they decided to kill him, after Sonam said her father would agree for her to marry anyone once she is a widow. They planned she would (hide somewhere) and surface later, claiming she was kidnapped, but their plan went for a toss,' a senior police officer said. The accused have no previous criminal record. A second officer said, 'It appears none of the accused thought through what they will do after the murder. Sonam was just going on hiding in Uttar Pradesh, panicking, and the others were in Madhya Pradesh.' (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also Read: Honeymoon murder: 'Mastermind' boyfriend plotting in Indore, groom lured to his death on Meghalaya trek


The Print
17 hours ago
- The Print
16 Indians still missing after joining Russian army, families to travel to Moscow for answers
Around 126 Indians joined the Russian Army to fight the war in Ukraine between the end of 2023 and early 2024. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), 96 of them have returned to India, while 12 were killed on the frontlines. Russian authorities have been unable to ascertain the location of 16 Indians for over a year. In February, the government informed the Lok Sabha that 18 Indians were in Russia, of which 16 are missing. Of the remaining two, Jain T.K from Kerala, who was injured on the frontlines, returned in April. The other Indian has acquired Russian citizenship, said a person familiar with the matter. New Delhi: At least 16 Indians remain missing in Russia for over a year, after being forced to join the military there last year. Some of the family members of those missing are set to travel to Moscow later this month to further inquire about the case. The issue of Indians in the Russian armed forces has been raised at the highest levels, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting Russian President Vladimir V. Putin twice in 2024—at the annual India-Russia Summit in July and on the margins of the BRICS Summit at Kazan in October. Now, four family members of at least 14 of the missing Indians are set to travel to Moscow at the end of June for a month. They will be working with a local foundation and meet with Russian authorities to find out more about the status of the missing Indians. 'Four of us will be travelling to Moscow, along with the power of attorney for 10 of the other families. For the one and a half years, all we have been told is that our family members remain missing,' Jagdeep Kumar, one of the family members set to travel, told ThePrint. His brother Mandeep Kumar from Phillaur in Punjab was promised a visa to Italy before he departed India in December 2023. The family paid Rs 31.40 lakh to an agent for Mandeep's travel to Italy. However, rather than Italy, Mandeep landed up in Moscow and was signed up by the Russian Army. The family last spoke to him on 3 March, 2024. 'He was given 15 days of training to become a sniper in the Russian Army, before being sent to the frontlines. Mandeep has a handicap, which does not allow him to run, but he was sent to the frontlines,' Jagdeep told ThePrint. Also Read: 3 Indians missing after travelling to Iran, embassy 'strongly takes up matter' with Tehran From UP, Punjab to J&K & Maharashtra Families of at least 14 Indians held a protest at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar in the last week of May. Nine of them are from Uttar Pradesh, with the majority from Azamgarh district. Three are from Punjab, while one each is from Jammu and Kashmir and Maharashtra. One of the missing from Punjab, according to a list curated by the families and seen by ThePrint, is Tejpal Singh, from Amritsar. Singh's family also last spoke with him on 3 March last year, before he was taken to Tokmak city, in the Ukrainian province of Zaporizhzhia. Russia has sought to annex Zaporizhzhia, along with the provinces of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Crimea since the current phase of open warfare began a little over three years ago. Mandeep, on the other hand, was sent to Donetsk, after which his family lost all connection with him. The Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed last month that Arvind Kumar from Azamgarh district, one of the missing Indians, signed a contract on 17 January, 2024 to join the military in the Leningrad region. However, the military selection point for Leningrad region denied that other Indians, including Mandeep, signed contracts in the region for military service. New Delhi has pushed Moscow to ensure that no other Indians are allowed to join the Russian armed forces. The number of Indians signing up to the Russian military has since been curbed. There have been no new cases of Indians intimating either the Embassy in Moscow or the MEA of their service in the Russian armed forces. The Russia-Ukraine war has been ongoing since February 2022. In recent weeks, it has intensified, especially after Kyiv was able to destroy Russian strategic bombers through Operation Spiderweb. On Sunday, Russia is reported to have launched nearly 500 loitering munitions and missiles at Western Ukraine, in one of its largest such aerial attacks till date. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: Another Indian recruit in Russian army dies on warfront, some yet to be released
&w=3840&q=100)

First Post
18 hours ago
- First Post
Meghalaya honeymoon case: How Sonam, her boyfriend plotted and planned Raja Raghuvanshi's murder
Police said Sonam Raghuvanshi is the prime accused, while Raj Kushwaha is in custody in connection with the murder of Indore-based Raja Raghuvanshi during their honeymoon in Meghalaya. According to the cops, Sonam was in a relationship that led to Raja's killing. Investigators said Raj Kushwaha hired the killers and instructed them on the phone, while Sonam led her husband to them read more So far, four people have been arrested in connection with Raja's murder, including his wife Sonam and her alleged boyfriend. Image: News18 As the police make arrests in the Meghalaya honeymoon murder case, all the threads of the case are beginning to unravel. Now, details have emerged about how Sonam and her alleged boyfriend, Raj Kushwaha, planned the killing of Indore-based Raja Raghuvanshi. Meghalaya Police said on Monday that Sonam Raghuvanshi is the prime accused, while Raj Kushwaha is currently in custody. ALSO READ | Why did Sonam Raghuvanshi plan the killing during Meghalaya honeymoon? So far, four people have been arrested in connection with Raja's murder, including his wife Sonam and her alleged boyfriend. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The case first raised concern when the couple went missing, and the husband was later found dead. Things took a sharp turn when the police arrested the 'missing' wife for her role in the murder. In this explainer, we look at how Sonam and her alleged boyfriend plotted her husband's murder, what the police said, and the latest developments in the case. Let's take a look: Meghalaya honeymoon murder: How Raja Raghuvanshi's murder was plotted Raja Raghuvanshi, 29, and his wife Sonam, 24, went missing on May 23 while on their honeymoon. A week later, Raja's body was recovered from a gorge. A search was launched for Sonam, who was eventually found in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, a week after the body was discovered. Meghalaya police believes Sonam was having an affair that led to Raja's murder. Investigators said she planned the killing along with her boyfriend, Raj Kushwaha. Sonam later surrendered on June 8, reportedly 'under pressure'. Both were then taken into custody. The couple went missing on May 23. Image: News18 Notably, the police were confident early in the investigation that Sonam was alive and involved in the case. While going through her phone records, they came across her conversations with Raj Kushwaha. These calls confirmed the two knew each other well and were in a relationship, sources told NDTV. Although Raj Kushwaha did not travel to Shillong, police say he planned the murder from Indore, giving instructions over the phone. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Sources told ThePrint that Raj's associates arrived in Meghalaya on May 22, just a day before Raja was killed. Throughout the planning and execution of the crime, Raj reportedly stayed in touch with Sonam over the phone. Three men, Akash, Vishal and Anand, are believed to be the contract killers who followed the couple in Shillong. The murder happened after Sonam allegedly took Raja to a deserted road in Cherrapunji, sources told CNN-News18. Vishal Chauhan, Raj Kushwaha and Akash Rajput are the three accused in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case. Photo source: Indore Police — ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2025 'We suspect that the plan was to isolate Raja. It was strategically planned to take him for a trek and then to be intercepted by the accused,' a senior officer told ThePrint. After the murder, all four, including Sonam, travelled from Shillong to Guwahati in Assam. They spent a day there before going their separate ways. Reports said the accused followed Raja and Sonam during their Meghalaya trip until Sonam led him to a remote area in Cherrapunji, where the three attackers struck. Once Raja's body was found and brought back to Indore, Raj Kushwaha was seen beside Sonam's father, Devi Singh, during the last rites, officers told The Indian Express. Notably, Kushwaha worked in the billing department of a plywood unit owned by Sonam's family. After college, Sonam worked in the HR department. They had met nearly two years ago and gradually became close, officers told the publication. Kushwaha used to live near Sonam's family but had recently shifted to the Nandbagh area, where the others suspected in the murder also lived. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I was abducted, abandoned': What Sonam Raghuvanshi said after her arrest In her first statement after being taken into custody, Sonam Raghuvanshi said she was not guilty and claimed she had been kidnapped. Police sources told CNN-News18 that Sonam said she was not involved in the crime and insisted she was a victim. She also said that after being kidnapped, she was left in Ghazipur, from where she contacted her brother. Her family, too, has denied that she had any link to the three men from Madhya Pradesh accused of killing her husband. They have called for a CBI investigation into the matter. How Sonam Raghuvanshi was arrested in Ghazipur Sonam was caught at a roadside eatery (dhaba) on the main Varanasi-Ghazipur road. A worker at the 'dhaba' later told reporters that a woman had arrived late on the night of June 8 and appeared upset. She had been crying and asked to use a phone to speak to her family. The worker confirmed that she made a call and told someone where she was. #WATCH | Sahil Yadav, owner of Kashi Dhaba, where UP Police found Sonam Raghuvanshi late last night, says "Sonam came here around 1 AM. She wanted my phone to call her family members, and I gave it to her. She started crying when she called her family. I took my phone from her… — ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It was later revealed that Sonam had contacted her brother, Govind, and told him she was in Uttar Pradesh. Police said Sonam had turned herself in, though Raja Raghuvanshi's family has disagreed with that version. So far, five people have been arrested and will be taken to Shillong for legal action. Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi: From disappearance to wife's arrest, a timeline of key events Raja and Sonam, who tied the knot on May 11 in Indore, had travelled to Meghalaya for their honeymoon. They went missing on May 23, just hours after leaving a homestay in Nongriat village, which is about 20 km from where Raja's body was later discovered. Sonam has now been taken into custody in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur after turning herself in. Image: News18 Below is a timeline of the main events: May 20, Guwahati: The couple began their honeymoon journey. Guwahati was their first stop. May 21, Shillong: Raja and Sonam reached Balaji Guest House in Shillong, Meghalaya, and checked in. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD May 22 morning, Shillong: They rented a scooter from Keating Road and came back to the guest house. Before leaving, they told the manager they would return by May 25 or would call if they needed the room again. May 22 evening, Mawlakhiat, East Khasi Hills: Riding the rented scooter, the couple reached Mawlakhiat village. They then trekked down over 3,000 steps to Nongriat village to see the living root bridges, where they stayed for the night, according to police. May 23, morning: Mawlakhiat, East Khasi Hills: They checked out of Shipara Homestay and came back to Mawlakhiat without their guide. After leaving the village, they went missing from the Sohra (Cherrapunji) area. A search was launched in nearby places with help from local villagers. Albert Pde, a local guide in Mawlakhiat, told PTI he had seen the couple with three other male tourists around 10 am on May 23, while they were climbing back up from Nongriat to Mawlakhiat. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD May 24, Sohrarim: The village head of Sohrarim in East Khasi Hills told the police about a scooter found abandoned in their area. May 25, Sohrarim: Police tracked down the owner of the scooter, who confirmed at the Sohra police station that it had been rented by the Raghuvanshi couple. June 2, Wei Sawdong Falls: Raja's semi-decomposed body was found at the bottom of a gorge near the Weisawdong Falls parking area at Riat Arliang. He was identified by a 'Raja' tattoo on his right hand. Near the body, police also found a machete, a woman's white shirt, a strip of tablets, part of a phone screen, and a smartwatch. June 4, Sohra: A blood-stained raincoat, believed to possibly belong to the missing tourist, was discovered near Mawkma Road in Sohra. It has been sent for forensic testing. June 9, Ghazipur, UP: Sonam was located and arrested. The DGP said Sonam surrendered to the police in Ghazipur, while three of the attackers were caught in late-night raids. Raj Kushwaha was arrested later. With inputs from agencies