Locked hospital washroom, minor girl and alleged assault in Kupwara: Fresh details emerge

A contractual sanitation worker discovered the girl and the accused inside a locked washroom near the gynaecology ward on November 11, prompting a police investigation

Kupwara: In the case of the alleged sexual assault of a minor girl at a sub-district hospital (SDH) in Kupwara, fresh details have emerged about how the incident came to light.

A sanitation worker found the girl and a young man inside a washroom near the gynaecology ward on the hospital’s first floor.

The worker, employed on a contract basis, noticed that the washroom was locked from inside. The discovery prompted a police investigation, leading to the registration of a case and the arrest of the accused.

Earlier, a senior JK police officer said that the incident was reported on November 11 evening and preliminary investigation suggested that the accused allegedly took advantage of the victim’s vulnerable condition and committed the offence.

According to the factual report of SDH submitted to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Kupwara, accessed by the Free Press Kashmir, “The repeated knocks by the sanitary worker failed to elicit response following which the outsourced worker called another worker for the assistance. When the door was opened eventually after repeated knock, a young man along with a minor girl came out of the washroom and allegedly fled from the spot.”

Subsequently, the report further adds that the hospital security personnel were alerted and both the man and the girl were chased towards the District Tuberculosis Center, which is around 200 meter away from the main building of the hospital.

“Later both of them were handed over to the police post main Bazar Kupwara for necessary legal formalities,” the report stated, adding that no hospital staff member, on roll, outsourced person is involved in the incident.

Dr Muhammad Amin Mir, Medical Superintendent, SDH Kupwara, told Free Press Kashmir that the girl was not admitted in the hospital.

“Both of them were outsiders and none among them was taking any kind of treatment from the hospital.”

The police took up the matter and arrested the accused involved in the incident.

Initially police have registered FIR 356/2026 under Section 64 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), following which the accused was taken into custody.

During the course of the investigation, the victim’s age was ascertained to be below 16 years. Accordingly, Section 65(1) of the BNS and Sections 3 and 4 of the POCSO Act were added to the case.

Further investigation is underway to establish the complete facts and circumstances of the incident.

Free Press Kashmir contacted Station House Officer, Kupwara Police Station, Yasir Ahamd,  to get the insights of the investigation, however, he denied revealing any further details, including the accused man’s age.