The rape of a three-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora has sparked a furious outrage across the country. As the news of the minor's rape broke out, Indians poured onto the streets and demanded justice for the girl, who lies on the hospital bed, unaware of what has happened with her. She fights for life, as her mother sits beside her and prays for her well-being.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Monday directed police to complete investigations on a fast track basis. So far, one person has been arrested. The state police constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the rape case.

On the eve of May 8, while the region echoed with greetings during Iftar, the minor girl playfully went after her uncle, who asked her to return home. Little did he know that he would next find his niece in the hospital, crying for life.

While the little girl was on her way back home, she was lured with a toffee by the accused, a schoolboy and a stranger to her. He took her to a nearby school and raped her.

She was found lying in blood-stained clothes, weeping in pain by the school premises, where her mother had come looking for her.

The girl then narrated the incident to her mother and was later admitted to a hospital.

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Investigations into the incident have revealed chilling details about the accused. The boy, who was considered to be minor at school, had submitted fake documents at the education center. Locals revealed that the boy was nearly 20 years of age.

The accused was arrested soon after the matter was reported to the police, while the school authorities have been taken into custody for further interrogation.

The incident, since a week, has sparked widespread outrage across the state. Schools and colleges have been closed due avoid any undue accident as people blocked the streets in protest.

Meanwhile, the state authorities have appealed to the people to maintain calm and have assured of swift progress and justice to the girl.

Separatist leaders in the valley have called it a stain on Kashmir’s “rich culture”.

“While this shameful and heart-breaking incident has pierced through our hearts and minds and has left all of us shocked, some people might take advantage and try to divide us in the name of sects and tribes,” the Joint Resistance Leadership said in a statement. JRL refers to the alliance of top ranked separatist leaders of Kashmir. The resistance leadership includes Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Yasin Malik and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

“The affected kid belongs to all of us and we all share the pain and agony of her family and stand firmly behind them. We all want the culprit to be brought to justice and justice for her and affected family,” the JRL said.