Kishtwar Minor's Death: Health Worker Arrested, Six Accused Held

The sensitive case surrounding the death of a minor girl in Chatroo, Kishtwar district, Jammu and Kashmir, has seen a significant development with the arrest of a female health worker, identified as Sonika Parihar, a Female Multipurpose Health Worker (FMPHW) posted at District Hospital Kishtwar. This latest arrest brings the total number of individuals apprehended in connection with the tragic incident to six. The case, registered under FIR No. 34/2026 at Police Station Chatroo, involves serious charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The minor victim, reportedly aged between 14 and 16 years, died on August 20, 2026, after an alleged forced abortion attempt following a period of sexual exploitation. Police investigations revealed that the girl was around five months pregnant, indicating prolonged abuse. The circumstances surrounding her death, particularly the alleged sexual assault and subsequent attempts to terminate the pregnancy, ignited widespread outrage and protests across Kishtwar and other parts of the Chenab Valley, with citizens demanding a transparent probe and stringent action against all those responsible. The initial arrests in the case included the prime accused, Khalid Hussain Sheikh (also referred to as Khalid Ahmed Sheikh), a government school teacher and in-charge headmaster at a middle school in Bamalpora, Inderwal. He was accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting the minor, leading to her pregnancy. His brother, Tariq Hussain, was also arrested for allegedly assisting in the illegal abortion attempt. Subsequently, three more individuals were apprehended, taking the total arrests to five. These included another brother of the main accused, Riaz Ahmed Sheikh, and Mohd. Ishaq, both residents of Sheikh Pura, Gorinal, Tehsil Chatroo. Crucially, a sanitation worker named Farooq Ahmed, employed at District Hospital Kishtwar, was also taken into custody for his alleged role in the conspiracy and efforts to conceal information related to the crime. Following his arrest on August 26, 2026, his services at the hospital were immediately terminated by the Medical Superintendent, District Hospital Kishtwar, citing the gravity of the allegations. The arrest of Sonika Parihar, the FMPHW or nurse, marks the sixth detention in the ongoing investigation. Her role reportedly surfaced during the Special Investigation Team's (SIT) probe, specifically concerning the medical treatment aspect of the case and alleged complicity. The SIT, constituted by the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kishtwar, is conducting a thorough, scientific, and evidence-based investigation to establish the sequence of events and ascertain the individual roles of all persons allegedly connected with the case. Authorities have indicated that further arrests would be made if warranted by the evidence, reiterating their commitment to taking strict legal action against all involved parties. The case gained significant public and political attention, with leaders, including former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, urging the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir to hand over the investigation to the Crime Branch for a more expedited and comprehensive probe. The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) also issued notices to top J&K officials, leading to the addition of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act sections to the FIR, recognizing the tribal background of the victim. The ongoing investigation aims to bring justice to the minor victim and her family and hold all perpetrators accountable for the heinous crime.

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