Hours after a minor girl went missing in J&K’s Budgam, she was found dead in a field; rape suspected

Srinagar: A 12-year-old-girl was allegedly raped and murdered in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, with police on Sunday constituting a Special Investigation Team (SIT) after her body was recovered from a field close to the village, hours after she went missing, officials said.

Senior Superintendent of Police Budgam, K K Hari Prasad, said preliminary investigation suggests the case appears to be one of rape and murder.

“At this stage, prima facie, it appears to be a case of rape and murder. We have already constituted a five-member Special Investigation Team,” he told reporters.

According to police, the minor girl went missing from her residence during the evening hours of May 23.

Police Station Budgam received information about the disappearance at around 10 pm, following which FIR No. 139/2026 was registered under relevant sections of law and a search operation was launched immediately, officials said.

“During the early morning hours on Saturday, the body of the minor girl was recovered at a short distance from her residence, following which medico-legal and investigative formalities were initiated,” a police statement said.

Officials said the SIT will investigate all aspects of the case, while forensic and other evidence is being collected.

The incident triggered grief and concern in the area, with locals demanding swift action against those involved.  

According to the latest National Crime Records Bureau report for 2024, Jammu and Kashmir recorded 887 cases of crimes against children during the year, including 308 cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The data included 228 cases of penetrative sexual assault involving minors.

Reacting to the incident, Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq termed it as “heartbreaking and deeply disturbing”, saying the tragedy had “shaken the conscience” of society and called for a thorough, transparent and time-bound investigation to ensure strict punishment for those responsible.

Meanwhile, police appealed to media organisations and social media users not to disclose the identity or photographs of the victim, saying the identity of a minor cannot be revealed under law.