Kathua Case Counsel Alleges Dropped Protection, Cites Threats to Family
Lawyer alleges security cut, withdraws daughter fearing safety threats.
Jammu-based lawyer Deepika Pushkar Nath, who represented the victim's family in the infamous 2018 Kathua rape and murder case, has alleged that authorities downgraded her security cover despite ongoing threats, prompting her to withdraw her daughter from school. Nath, originally provided two Personal Security Officers (PSOs) after facing public backlash and threats for her role in the high-profile Rasana case—involving the abduction, gang-rape, and murder of eight-year-old Asifa Bano from the Bakarwal community—claims one PSO was abruptly withdrawn three months ago. Her repeated requests to the Inspector General of Police (Security) for replacement went unheeded, leaving her with single-guard protection.
The lawyer highlighted acute fears for her Class 8 daughter's safety, noting that previously one PSO escorted the child to school while the other remained with her. With reduced cover, she has halted regular schooling, allowing attendance only for exams, citing risks of sending her alone or with unfamiliar escorts. Nath drew parallels to the recent March 11 assassination attempt on National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, who survived despite Z+ security, questioning protections for figures like herself.
Since 2018, Nath reports enduring organized hate campaigns, professional isolation, and physical attacks for advocating justice in the polarizing case, which saw convictions but sparked communal protests. A former Congress spokesperson who rejoined the party briefly, she has written to the Chief Justice of India and J&K High Court seeking intervention and full security restoration, threatening court action if unmet.
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The development underscores persistent vulnerabilities for activists in sensitive cases, amid Jammu and Kashmir's security landscape post-Article 370 abrogation. Nath holds the IGP Jammu Security accountable for any harm, decrying absent threat assessment protocols.Police have not publicly responded, but the allegations revive scrutiny over witness and advocate protections in landmark trials.
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