Five arrests made in Kishtwar teen's death after alleged forced abortion

Jammu and Kashmir police have increased the number of detainees in the Kishtwar case to five, adding a hospital sweeper and two additional individuals to the earlier arrests of a suspended government middle-school teacher and his brother. The teacher is alleged to have repeatedly assaulted the 14-year-old student, resulting in a five-month pregnancy, after which he and his brother allegedly supplied medication to induce an abortion.

An autopsy confirmed the forced abortion attempt, and the girl was taken first to Chatroo primary health centre, then to Kishtwar district hospital for an ultrasound before being referred to Jammu GMC, 200 km away. She died in an ambulance near Batote as complications escalated. The incident triggered a shutdown in Chatroo and protests across Kishtwar demanding harsh punishment. Police have filed a FIR at Chatroo police station, invoking the Pocso Act, SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and BNS, and a senior-level investigation team is examining the matter, with officials indicating more arrests may follow.