Kathua rape case: Minor or not? Fate of juvenile to be decided next week

The fate of the juvenile accused in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua will be decided next week by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court with the Crime Branch moving a petition to contest that he is a minor, officials said on Thursday.

A decision on the petition, which will be heard early next week, will give clarity on whether his case will be heard along with the seven other accused before the Pathankot district and sessions judge or continue to be tried by the Juvenile Board in Kathua.

"The police has conducted a thorough probe and also carried out medical tests on the accused. The reports suggest his age to be in the 19-23 age bracket," said a senior official of the state law department.

He said all the evidence collected in the case was the same for all the accused.

"We cannot make a witness depose twice -- once in Pathankot and the second time before the Juvenile Board. The clarity is important," the official said.