The six men from the Jammu region of northern India escaped the death sentence, however, with three defendants given life imprisonment and the others five years in jail. Among the three convicted for rape and murder and sentenced to life were village head Sanjhi Ram and special police officer Deepak Khajuria. The Supreme Court had shifted the Kathua trial to Punjab after the girl's family and their lawyer complained of death threats. Nearly 20,000 child rape cases were reported in 2016, according to official data, while a 2014 UN report said one in three rape victims was a minor. Wary of new protests, security was also heavy in Kathua town and surrounding Muslim areas, although no incidents were reported.

Source: Dhaka Tribune June 10, 2019 12:33 UTC