Jammu, May 20: Former state minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Choudhary Lal Singh on Sunday led a march in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, seeking CBI probe into Kathua rape and murder case.

Lal Singh walked barefoot for nearly five hours after which his supporters urged him to get into a vehicle as he developed blisters in his feet.

The march was organised to mount pressure on the state government to have the Kathua rape and murder case investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Lal Singh and another senior BJP leader Chander Prakash Ganga resigned from the state cabinet following their participation in a rally organised by Hindu Ekta Manch in Hiranagar area in January this year.

The State Crime Branch has already filed a charge sheet against eight accused in the rape and murder of an 8-year-old in Rasana village of Kathua district.

On the plea of the victim's father, the Supreme Court has ordered that the trial of this case be held on a daily basis without any adjournment in Pathankot town of neighbouring Punjab.

 

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Mendhar (J-K) (PTI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said there is peace along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir as Pakistan fears Prime Minister Narendra Modi and would dare to open fire.

Shah was addressing an election rally in this border area in the Union territory's Poonch district in support of BJP candidate Murtaza Khan.

He lauded the BJP-led Centre for wiping out terrorism by replacing guns and stones in the hands of youngsters with laptops and said his government would not allow guns to resonate in the hills of Jammu region.

"We will construct more bunkers along the borders for the safety of the people. I want to remind you of cross-border firings in the 1990s… Is cross-border firing happening today?

"It is because the earlier rulers here were frightened of Pakistan, but now, Pakistan fears Modi. They would not dare to fire but if they did, they would be given a befitting reply," Shah said.

The BJP leader is on a three-day tour and is scheduled to address four more election rallies in Surankote in Poonch, Thanamandi and Rajouri in Rajouri district and Akhnoor in Jammu district.

Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir are taking place for the first time after the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh -- in August 2019.

The first phase of polling was held on September 18. The second phase will be held on September 25, followed by the third and final phase on October 1. The election results will be declared on October 8.