3 days ago
J&K Police crack rape case of pregnant minor girl after 5 months, 3 arrested
After five months, Jammu and Kashmir Police have cracked the rape case of a mentally challenged 16-year-old girl who had become pregnant after the assault and arrested three persons in North Kashmir's Baramulla district.
Officials said that the Baramulla police achieved the critical breakthrough in the investigation of the POCSO case resulting in the identification and arrest of three accused persons while also DNA evidence identified the perpetrator who was responsible for the minor's assault leading to her pregnancy.
A police spokesperson said that they filed a case in January 2025 in Kunzer Police Station under relevant sections of the POCSO Act and BNS after the 16-year-old girl was found to be 25 weeks pregnant during a medical examination at sub-district hospital, Magam.
The investigation, led by then-SHO Kunzer Inspector Sheikh Adil, revealed the minor had been repeatedly assaulted by multiple perpetrators.
'Initial inquiries led to the arrest of Mohd Rafiq Bhat(resident of Dhobiwan), Mohd Nasarullah Khan (resident of Hayhama Lolab, Kupwara) who were arrested for rape, aggravated sexual assault, and kidnapping under POCSO provisions, though DNA analysis excluded both of them as the father of the foetus,' the spokesperson said.
The police said that investigators focused on Jawad Alam (resident of Champaran) who turned out to be the prime suspect.
'Forensic matching confirmed his DNA matched the foetus, establishing him as the biological father and confirming his role in the sexual assault leading to the pregnancy,' the official said.
The police investigations revealed that all the three accused had independently assaulted the victim on multiple occasions, with Alam responsible for the conception.
' Despite initial forensic complexities, the police team employed methodical investigation and advanced technology to identify all perpetrators. We reaffirm our zero-tolerance stance towards crimes against children and will ensure rigorous prosecution,' the official said.
