The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday registered an FIR against the lawyers who tried to block officers of the Crime Branch from filing a chargesheet in the Kathua rape and murder case on Monday. Director General of Police Shesh Paul Vaid said “action will be taken against them”, Kashmir Life reported.

The Crime Branch filed a chargesheet against seven people accused of allegedly kidnapping, raping and murdering an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district in January.

Lawyers at the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court had tried to stop the officers and held a protest on the premises. The Bar Association of Kathua had also released a statement against the chargesheet being filed.

The brutal rape and murder of the eight-year-old had sparked statewide protests – and counter protests by the Hindu Ekta Manch against the arrest of the accused – with several groups demanding an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation. In February, the Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested a special police officer in connection with the case. A police constable and a sub-inspector were also arrested after the Crime Branch found they had allegedly tried to destroy evidence of the crime.

In all, the Crime Branch has arrested eight people, including the alleged mastermind, Sanji Ram, and his son. Ram, a 60-year-old former government official, surrendered to the Crime Branch on March 20.