Lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat, defending the case of an eight year old rape victim from Kathua, has been awarded with the ‘Woman of the Year’ award at the Indian Merchants Chamber of Commerce & Industry Ladies Wing.
Deepika has been lauded for her efforts to stand with the cause of getting justice to the murder and the family of the victim. The award ceremony will take place on June 11.
The gruesome details of the rape meant to send a message to the Muslim Bakerwal community, and to drive them out from majority Hindu Kathua area of the Jammu region grabbed headlines. Lawyer Deepika was first placed in the limelight after she volunteered to help deliver justice to the victim and the family amidst massive opposition from the Jammu Bar Association.
Earlier she stated that she had received a number of death threats.
“I don’t know till when I will be alive. I can be raped, my modesty can be outraged, I can be killed, I can be damaged. I was threatened yesterday that ‘we will not forgive you’,” she said.
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The Supreme Court (SC) had directed the Jammu and Kashmir government to provide police protection to Kathua victim’s family members and their lawyers. The victim’s lawyer, Advocate Deepika Singh Rajawat had said that she was being threatened for taking up the case.
The victim’s father had also asked the apex court for adequate security for family members of the victim, Advocate Rajawat and her family members, and Advocate Talib Hussain.
The SC in May had transferred the trial of the case to Pathankot in Punjab.
Deepika is known for putting away a judge accused of raping the household helper. She also heads an NGO, Voice for Rights working specifically for women and children.
