New Delhi, April 15: A five-member committee of the Bar Council of India (BCI) will visit Kathua city in Jammu and Kashmir and submit a factual report on the case of the rape of a minor girl after seeking time from the Supreme Court on April 19, BCI Chairman Manan Mishra said on Sunday.
The fact-finding team will have former BCI chief Tarun Agarwal, BCI Co-Chairmen S. Prabakaran and Ramachandra G. Shah, and members Razia Beig of the Bar Council of Uttrakhand and Naresh Dikshit, an advocate.
They will visit the state and reach out to office-bearers of the Bar Associations of Jammu and Kathua and also meet the affected families and the common people to figure out what actually transpired, Mishra told reporters here.
He said that the BCI in its Friday meeting had decided to dispatch the team to Kathua on April 20.
"I have communicated this to the President of Bar Associations of Jammu and Kathua. I was given full assurance of an immediate end to the lawyers strike and of full cooperation to the visiting BCI team," he said.
Mishra claimed that the BCI was told that the reason behind the lawyers' protests in Jammu was not to defend the accused but were instead focused against certain laws passed by the Jammu and Kashmir government.
Mishra said if the committee finds misconduct on the part of the lawyers, the BCI has the authority to cancel the licences of those involved in creating the controversy and maligning the legal profession.
"In case some outsiders, not associated with the Bar Council, are involved in creating a controversy, we may not be able to take action against such persons. Our jurisdiction is limited to Bar Council members only. If we find them responsible for obstructing the legal process, we will definitely take action against them by cancelling their registrations for life or for limited period," he added.
The BCI chief said that the follow-up action would be decided once the team files its report.
An eight-year-old Bakarwal girl had gone missing on January 10 while grazing horses in Rasana forest in Kathua's Hiranagar area. Her body was found a week later. Police investigations revealed she was held captive inside a temple, sedated and repeatedly raped before her murder.
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Condolences pour in, Pope Francis remembered as Gaza’s friend, voice of conscience
Vatican City: Pope Francis, the Roman Catholic Church's first Latin American leader, died on Monday at the age of 88. His final public remarks, delivered on Easter Sunday, included a call for a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages, and humanitarian aid for those caught in conflict, especially those “starving” for peace.
His death came as a surprise to many. The previous day, he had appeared to be in good health, waving to crowds from the popemobile in St. Peter’s Square.
In Gaza, his death has been described as a significant loss. He maintained regular communication with the Roman Catholic community in the region during the ongoing conflict. According to Reverend Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest at the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza, the Pope called every evening at 8 p.m. Gaza time, even during his own hospitalisation, to offer prayers and moral support.
Romanelli confirmed these details to Vatican News.
Public tributes have come in from various figures around the world. Activist and author Fatima Bhutto said, “Pope Francis was the only public figure of conscience and compassion we had. The world is morally poorer without him. Even as he breathed his last breath, he spoke out for Gaza and called the parish daily to offer what comfort he could to Palestinians. I loved him and will pray for him.”
Pastor Munther Isaac from Bethlehem said, “Palestinians, and Palestinian Christians in particular, have lost a dear friend today. Pope Francis was beloved in Palestine… His pastoral heart was evident in his insistence on calling the Christian community besieged in Gaza on a constant basis, even from his hospital.”
Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari noted that the Pope had called for a Gaza ceasefire in his final address. British peer Meral Hussein said, “His calls for a Gaza ceasefire were something he consistently called for, while ignored by Biden and other Christian leaders around the world.”
Indian journalist Rana Ayyub referred to him as “a shepherd who carried Gaza in his prayers and Sudan in his heart,” adding, “Even in his final days, he spoke for the broken, the bombed, and the forgotten. A holy soul now at rest but still walking with the wounded. The world is a lesser place today.”
Tributes also appeared across social media. One user wrote, “As an atheist, the passing of Pope Francis still hits me. He embraced everyone, broke barriers, and stood for love, freedom and inclusion—things the whole world needs more of.”
Another post read, “Gaza has lost a friend this morning. Even before his death, he still urged for a ceasefire in Gaza. Rest easy, Pope.”
Other online users described him as “a towering mortal giant in a time of evil and cowardice,” and said, “He called the situation in Gaza what it was: a slaughter, a terror, a betrayal of humanity. He spoke for the children bombed, the families destroyed, and the people of Palestine.”
In his final Easter message, the Pope said, “There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and respect for the views of others.”
