Villager assaulted over rumours of cattle smuggling

Shyam Sood

Rajouri August 27

The Rajouri administration has warned people against rumour-mongering after false reports of death of a villager over suspicion of cattle smuggling spread in the area.

The warning came after some miscreants spread rumours of death of the villager, who belonged to the majority community, in an attack by some youths belonging to the minority community on Saturday near Gundha village.

The administration said the victim, identified as Lal Hussain, was admitted to Government Medical College (GMC) in Jammu and he was out of danger.

The police have arrested Kuldeep Raj, who along with about nine others, allegedly assaulted Lal Hussain. All suspects have been booked under Sections 341, 307, 323 and 147 of the RPC at the Budhal police station.

“The FIR was lodged on the complaint of wife of the victim after the villagers found Lal Hussain unconscious. The victim was taken to a hospital at Sunderbani from where he was referred to the GMC,” said Jhanagir Ahmed, SHO, Budhal.

He along with a police party had been camping at Gundha to avoid any communal tension following rumours of death of Lal Hussain.

Sources said Lal Hussain had purchased a cow on Friday from another villager. He was on the way to hand over the cow to another person to whom he had sold in a nearby village on Saturday when Kuldeep Raj and others attacked him, thinking he was smuggling cattle.