We Need Death Penalty for Those Guilty of Rape: Hema Malini

The veteran actor and politician comments on the horrific Kathua rape.

Veteran actor and politician Hema Malini has condemned the horrific Kathua rape. 

(Photo: Yogen Shah)

Veteran actress and politician Hema Malini says there should be a strong support from media and a national uprising to bring justice for the 8-year-old girl who was gang-raped and killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district.

Hema took to the social media on Saturday to express her concern.

"There should be a national uprising with strong support from the media, against these animals who don't spare even babies and toddlers. I agree with Manekaji (Gandhi) that death penalty should be instantaneous once proven guilty and there should be no bail or pardon, juveniles included, for all rapes," she tweeted.

Maneka, the Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister, said on Friday that the Ministry intend to bring an amendment to the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act to provide for stringent punishment against rape.

The minor girl from the Bakerwal community was kidnapped on January 10; taken to a temple in Rasana village in Kathua.

Her attackers, who included temple official and policemen, drugged and gang raped her over days before finally killing her and dumping her body in nearby forest seven days later.

The girl was attacked to scare away the nomadic Muslim community out of the village.