A local Maulvi in Kashmir has been accused of raping scores of minor boys under the pretext of summoning djinns and driving away ‘evil eye’. Kashmir Police has booked Aijaz Shaikh, popularly known as Maulvi Saab amongst the locals, under section 377 of the state’s Ranbir Penal Code.
According to victims, the Maulvi was approached by the followers to help them get rid of the problems. Maulvi would then claim that he has djinns under his control and they only speak to a male child under the age of 14. His followers and their relatives would readily send their children to the Maulvi, who would then trap them by guilt tripping them on things like masturbating and sexually exploit them. According to one of the victims, who is now an adult, the Maulvi would ask embarrassing questions about their sexual life and then humiliate them for ‘sinning’.
One of the victims said that one time, the Maulvi had as many as 10-12 children between the age group of 11-14 in his house where he made them perform sexual acts on each other all night long while he watched. He then took the most ‘attractive’ boy and rape him. Another said that the Maulvi was such a sadist that he would rape boys in front of other children in different positions.
Shockingly, the Maulvi has been abusing young boys since years when he was teaching Quran and Arabic in a school. He would also rape boys while pretending to be possessed by a djinn.
The victims have gone through such trauma that some are even showing signs of depression, anxiety, guilt and fear. However, since the state of Jammu and Kashmir is exempt from Acts like Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO), the victims are deprived of sensitivity in approaching such case.