MUZAFFARABAD: The alleged sexual assault and death of a young seminary student in Kotli district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has exposed serious gaps in oversight and child protection mechanisms in religious institutions in the region, with police acknowledging that similar incidents often go unreported or fail to reach a logical conclusion.
The incident, which occurred on the afternoon of April 5 during an outing to the Poonch River, involved three teenage students of a local seminary. Police said two of them allegedly assaulted their 16-year-old companion before he drowned after being pushed into the river under unclear circumstances.
The matter surfaced after the victim’s family reported him missing. His uncle, an imam in Sehnsa, approached the police when repeated attempts to contact him failed. Investigators later reviewed CCTV footage from the seminary’s exit gate, which led them to question the two students.
Officials avoided sharing details on record lest it affect the case in court. However, sources privy to the interrogation said the suspects had claimed that the act took place with the victim’s “consent” and that they pushed him into the river while they were bathing.
They said the water was deep, causing him to lose his balance and be swept away. Officials, however, treated their account with caution and were examining it in light of the surrounding circumstances.
The suspects also led investigators to the recovery of the victim’s clothes and shoes from the riverbank. His phone, which they had thrown some distance away, was found by a girl, who switched it off after receiving the first call, presumably out of fear that it might be linked to a crime.
Police said a case had been registered against the suspects under Section 365 of the Azad Penal Code (APC), adding that relevant provisions, including Section 302 (murder), would be incorporated after recovery of the body and post-mortem examination.
Amid an unrelenting downpour, police and Rescue 1122 teams have been searching the entire river stretch up to Mangla Dam since Monday, but have so far met with no success.
A senior police officer, requesting anonymity, told Dawn that the authorities were considering a broader assessment of seminaries. “There is growing concern over complaints emerging from some institutions. We are examining the situation seriously to identify gaps and propose corrective measures,” he said.
Without singling out any particular institution, the officer acknowledged that misconduct in certain seminaries had raised troubling questions.
“Institutions meant to impart moral and religious education are expected to set examples, but some incidents are deeply disturbing and difficult even to recount,” he added.
He noted that many such cases remained under-reported due to social stigma, the reluctance of victims to come forward, and evidentiary challenges in courts. “As a result, incidents are either quietly buried or fail to lead to convictions.”
The victim’s father, who belongs to Neelum Valley, serves in the military as a junior-commissioned officer. Both the victim and one of the suspects had recently moved from a seminary in Sehnsa to Kotli for further studies, while the third student had shifted earlier.
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2026.
