CHANDIGARH: Finally, the much awaited trial of infamous Kathua rape and murder case would begin from Thursday at the district court complex Pathankot.The entire record pertaining to the trial of the case reached the court of district and sessions judge Tejwinder Singh , who will hear the case on day to day basis, on Wednesday. Elaborate security arrangements have been made in the courtroom, where the trial would begin at 11.30am on Thursday.Meanwhile, carrying of any kind of weapon has been completely banned in the judicial complex. A metal detector has also been placed outside the courtroom where the trial would be held.Sources in the district bar Pathankot confirmed that the judge may decide on Thursday about shifting of the accused to Pathankot jail for the convenience of the trial. As of now, they are lodged in Kathua district jail and their production during the trial may cause security of other issues.The Jammu and Kashmir government has already appointed Gurdashpur based senior criminal lawyer, S S Basra as the special prosecutors. Basra would be assisted by two other prosecuting officers who are from Jammu.The district bar association Pathankot also issued an advisory to its members, asking them to refrain from carrying any kind of weapon in the court complex. Lawyers have been told to inform their clients about such restrictions and to instruct their clerks to be in uniform and carry identity cards. The SSP Pathankot, in consultation with the districts and sessions judge, has declared the entire judicial complex Pathankot as “fire free zone”.Recently, the district bar association had observed strike demanding elaborate security measure in the court premises in view of the hearing of sensitive case. The lawyers were apprehensive that the Dogra Ekta Manch led by former minister Lal Singh, who have been protesting against the investigation report in the Kathua case, may disrupt the functioning of Pathankot court during the trial.On May 7, the Supreme Court had shifted the trial in gruesome rape and killing of eight years old nomad girl to Pathankot, which is around 26 km from Kathua that had witnessed mass protests and triggered political crisis in the state over the investigation report of Jammu and Kashmir police.

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