A local court on Thursday directed the special public prosecutor to produce an accused, allegedly involved in raping a minor girl in Sumbal Bandipora, at Dental College Srinagar to determine his actual age.
Principal District and Sessions Judge Bandipora directed thespecial public prosecutor to produce the accused before the medical experts atthe college on 22 July.
Earlier, the court had constituted a special medical boardfor ascertaining the age of the accused involved in case FIR no. 81/2019 undersection 363, 342, 376A, B R 5 (m) of 6 POCSO Act at police station Sumbal.
After the court had constituted the special medical board on11 July, the board consisting of three members and a chairman subsequentlysubmitted their opinion before the court today.
Sources said that the medical board has opined that theexact age of the accused could not be ascertained as they don't have themachinery and equipments which will determine the exact age.
"Chief Medical Officer Bandipora in compliance to the orderof this court dated 11.07.2019 has constituted a Special Medical Board forascertaining the age of the accused involved in the case titled above. TheSpecial Medical Board consisting of three members and one chairman has examinedthe accused and has opined that the individual is aged between 14 to 18 years,"reads the order by Principal District and Sessions Judge.
The order reads, "It is further reported by the members ofthe Board that in order to substantiate the above finding and to determine theexact age of the accused in the case, the Board needs further investigation inthe form of orthomo pantomograph (OPG) and expert opinion, which could bepossible only at Government Dental College Srinagar (Department of OralMedicine and Radiology)."
The order further reads that the Board has requested thiscourt to make arrangements for the accused to get cross examined for finalevaluation of the dental age.
"Accordingly, Special Public Prosecutor is directed toproduce the accused before the concerned expert on 22.07.2019. The members ofthe Board and the expert at Government Dental College Srinagar shall ascertainthe age of the accused and frame their opinion, " it reads.
The court also directed that the opinion shall reach it byor before 24 July.
On May 08, a minor girl was allegedly raped by her neighbourand the incident led to widespread protests across the Kashmir valley.
The protesters clashed with the security forces in which oneyouth was killed in Pattan area of north Kashmir.
On May 25, police filed an 87-page charge sheet against theaccused before principal district and sessions court Bandipora.
The Jammu and Kashmir State Legal Services Authority hasalso released Rs 1 lakh as interim relief to the minor rape victim under VictimCompensation Scheme 2013.
