Teenage girl’s suspicious death in Budhal: Family stages protest.

GNS ONLINE NEWS PORTAL

SHYAM SOOD

RAJOURI MAY 24:-8In Budhal, Rajouri, the suspicious death of a teenage girl named Sonia Akhtar, daughter of Abdul Ghafoor, on Friday triggered a protest by her family members, and residents on Saturday.
The grieving relatives, including women, placed the body on the Rajouri-Budhal road and blocked traffic, demanding justice.
The protest was led by prominent local figures such as National Conference leader Waqar Lone, former Sarpanch Farooq Inqalabi, and BJP district general secretary Manzoor Naik.
They expressed deep concern over the tragic and suspicious death of the 16-year-old girl, describing the incident as highly disturbing. They urged the police to take immediate and transparent action.
According to the family, they suspect that their daughter was murdered. These concerns, they emphasized, cannot and should not be ignored.
“This is not merely a tragic loss, it points towards possible foul play. The family believes their daughter was murdered, and there are disturbing claims of assault. These concerns cannot and must not be ignored,” said Waqar Lone
“I strongly urge the administration and law enforcement to initiate a swift, impartial, and time-bound investigation. Justice delayed is justice denied, the truth must come to light, and those responsible, regardless of their influence or position, must be held accountable,” Lone added.
Former Sarpanch and senior PDP leader Mohammad Farooq Inqlabi said, “It is a deeply disturbing incident that warrants urgent and transparent investigation. The family strongly believes their daughter was murdered, and there are alarming indications that she may have been sexually assaulted. These are not allegations to be taken lightly”.
“I urge the authorities to launch a time-bound, impartial investigation. Justice delayed is justice denied. The truth must come out, and the guilty, no matter how powerful, must be brought to justice,” Farooq Inqlabi said.
Highlighting the seriousness of the case, the leaders called on the administration and law enforcement agencies to initiate a prompt, impartial, and time-bound investigation to uncover the truth and ensure justice for the bereaved family.
They also appealed to the media, civil society, and human rights organizations to support the grieving family and amplify their voices.
“We stand in solidarity with the victim and her loved ones in their pursuit of justice,” they added.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage in the region, with growing public demand for accountability and justice under the law.
Meanwhile, the police assured the protestors that a postmortem examination had been conducted and that further investigation is underway.
They promised that the truth will emerge once the postmortem report is available and that if it is indeed a case of murder, no one involved will be spared.
Following the police’s assurance, the protest ended, and the family took the body for burial.