Pathankot (Punjab): The Pathankot court on Monday convicted six out of seven accused in connection with the Kathua rape and murder case.
The judge has convicted village head Sanji Ram, two special police officers (SPOs) Deepak Khajuria and Surender Verma, Head constable Tilak Raj, Anand Dutta and Parvesh Kumar. Only Vishal, Sanjhi Ram's son has been acquitted. The eight-year-old girl, belonging to a nomadic Muslim tribe, was abducted, drugged, gang-raped, tortured and killed on January 10 last year.
The trial, which had begun in April 2018 against seven accused out of eight, concluded on June 3 last week. The trial of a juvenile is yet to begin as the petition on his age is yet to be heard by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. The Crime Branch had arrested village head Sanji Ram, his son Vishal, juvenile nephew and his friend Anand Dutta, and two special police officers Deepak Khajuria and Surender Verma. Head Constable Tilak Raj and Sub-Inspector Anand Dutta, who allegedly took Rs 4 lakh from Sanji Ram and destroyed crucial evidence, were also arrested by the Crime Branch.
