A group of alleged cow vigilantes shot a man to death who was allegedly carrying cattle at Nalthi Pul area of Baderwah in district of Chenab Valley in Jammu Kashmir.
Speaking to a local news agency, the eyewitness, Yasir Hussain (name changed) who was accompanying the slain, Nayeem Shah, said that they were stopped by a ‘Cow Vigilantes’ near Nathi Pull area of Baderwah around 2:30 AM.
They stopped us and shouted, “You are killing Gai Maata” and also accused us of illegally trading cattle in the area before rounding us and thrashing us to pulp, he said, adding, “we told them we were carrying horses, they did not listen to us and shot Nayeem with a 12-Bore Desi Rifle,” Yasir said.
Yasir said that he tried to seek help, but the group successfully ran away from the spot and also, Nayeem was lying down in a pool of blood, after being shot at.
“Nobody came to our rescue,” Yasir said. Immediately after the incident, Internet has been snapped in the Baderwah District of Chenab Valley, Also the Jammu Kashmir Police has imposed a Curfew in the area
Shah’s body was recovered by police in Nalthi Pul area of the town, Police officials said.
Locals told The Kashmiriyat that Nayeem is survived by five daughters and a son.
Sources told The Kashmiriyat that sporadic clashes also erupted at various places and the shops of the minority community were stoned at various places in this township. The SSP of Baderwah has said that seven people have been detained in the connection of murder of Nayeem Ahmed adding that, Police is investigating the matter.
Sources meanwhile told The Kashmiriyat that at least seven people have been detained by Jammu Kahsmir Police in the past few months under Public safety act in name of being cattle smugglers.
Radical cow protection groups in India have killed at least 44 people over the last three years and often received support from law enforcement and Hindu nationalist politicians, according to a new report from Human Rights Watch published in February this year.