Peerzada Arshad Hamid

Srinagar

The alarming increase in crime rate over past some weeks speaks of the degrading moral values in Kashmir. Last month a teenager, Tabinda Gani of Langate, Handawara was raped and then slaughterer brutally.

Last week another incident took place within the Srinagar city and this time the victim was 10-year-old girl, Sabreena from Ikhrajpora. In both the cases the victims were first raped then killed to destroy evidence.

Both the incidents should act as an eye opener for the people of Valley. Such things may well be a common outside Kashmir but when it comes to Kashmir, being a closed society, we should not only condemn such acts but petition for stringent punishment for the guilty. We as a society should stand up unanimously to fight the rot.

In the Handwara incident, people were quick to put the blame squarely on outsiders and call for their exit. In the fury, they tried to ignore that two local youth were accomplice in the inhuman act.

The Ikhrajpora incident which came close on the heels of Langate incident has manifested the seriousness of the issue and the urgency to take measures to prevent such abuse. The opposition has cornered the government on the issue, but it would be better to rise above party politics in dealing with such issues.

No doubt that there is a need for speedy trial in these cases, that the government should ensure, but more than that it is the duty of all people in the society including political religious and social groups to work for eradication of moral deprivation.

Such things should not be taken lightly by the people. The situation calls for a self-introspection and the need of moral education in the society.

People at the helm of affairs should rise beyond politics and take serious note of such inhuman acts. The promise of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in the Assembly that the government would have a special court for a speedy trial of the case to bring the culprit to book is welcome.

But he should try to translate his words in the reality and all such cases that often prove time consuming should be tried within a stipulated time, so that it should act as a deterrent for people harbouring evil intentions.