Bovine smuggling triggers clash in Kathua, 4 injured

Sanjay Pathak

Kathua, December 3

Four persons were injured after villagers clashed with the police over bovine smuggling in the area on Monday. The protesters, mainly residents of Pathwal village, also blocked the Jammu-Pathankot national highway at Dyalachak.

The trouble started early Monday morning when a Jammu-bound truck was spotted at Pathwal village in the Hiranagar subdivision in which animals were being allegedly smuggled. Villagers rushed to the spot but the smugglers managed to escape from the spot leaving the truck there.

The villagers unloaded the cattle from the truck and set it on fire. The police reached the spot along with fire tenders and doused the fire.

As news of bovine smuggling spread in the area, locals marched towards Dyalachak and blocked the national highway. The protesters raised slogans against the police for its “failure to control bovine smuggling in the area.”

Soon a clash erupted between the protesters and police that left four persons, including a sarpanch, injured. The police resorted to canecharge and also fired tear gas shells to disperse the mob.

Kathua Senior Superintendent of Police Shridhar Patil later met the protesters and assured them that the bovine smugglers would be arrested within two days.