Timeline of Kathua rape case; 6 convicted in gangrape

A local court on Monday convicted six people accused in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old nomadic girl in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir.

Six of the seven accused in the horrific gangrape-and-murder case of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua have been convicted by a court on Monday, lawyers said. A seventh accused, namely Vishal -- son of main accused Sanji Ram -- has been acquitted by the court, giving him the 'benefit of doubt', said Farooqi Khan, who represented the victim's family in the court.

• January 10, 2018: Eight-year-old girl belonging to Bakarwal tribe goes missing in Rasana village of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district while grazing cattle.
• January 12, 2018: FIR is registered on the complaint of victim's father at Hiranagar police station.
• January 17, 2018: Body of the girl is found. Post mortem confirms gang rape and murder.
• January 22, 2018: Case is handed over to Jammu and Kashmir crime branch.
• February 16, 2018: A right-wing group, Hindu Ekta Manch, holds protests in support of one of the accused.
• March 1, 2018: Two ministers of the BJP, part of the state's ruling coalition with the PDP, Chander Prakash Ganga and Lal Singh, attend a rally organised by the Hindu Ekta Manch after the arrest of nephew of a caretaker of a 'devisathan' (temple) in connection with the kidnapping and rape.
• April 9, 2018: The police filed the charge sheet before the Kathua court against seven of the eight accused.
• April 10, 2018: Charge sheet filed against the eighth accused who had claimed to be a juvenile. The police file an FIR against lawyers for protesting and attempting to prevent the crime branch officials from filing the charge sheet in the court on April 9.
• April 14, 2018: BJP ministers who attended the Hindu Ekta Manch rally resign from the state Cabinet. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres terms the crime "horrific" and asks authorities to deliver justice.
• April 16, 2018: Trial begins before the Principal Sessions Court judge, Kathua. All accused plead 'not guilty'.
• May 7, 2018: The Supreme Court shifts the case from Kathua to Pathankot in Punjab. The apex court directs the trial to be fast-tracked and held in-camera, away from media gaze.
• June 3, 2019: Trial concludes.

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