Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Dec 4: The villagers set on fire yet another vehicle carrying bovine animals at Dassal Morh, near Nagesh bridge here late this evening.
Reports said that local villagers noticed a Tata Mobile vehicle, bearing registration No. JK-11A/3680 being loaded with a cow, two calves and a mare at around 7.50 pm at an isolated place near Dassal village. The villagers gathered there and got agitated. They came with lathis and over powered two persons while driver of the vehicle escaped from the spot. They set on fire the vehicle and started beating up the smugglers.
The police party from nearby naka point rushed to the site. SHO Rajouri Chaman Gorkha also reached there along with some force. They summoned fire tenders and controlled the situation. About 50 % of the vehicle had been burnt before the Firemen reached there. The police arrested two alleged bovine smugglers. They failed to produce any valid permission from DC. The public beaten them up severely before handing over to police. They were identified as Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohd Zafar, residents of Niyali village in Manjakote in Rajouri. The intended to carry these cattle to Kashmir via Mughal Road.
It is pertinent to mention here that irate public had set on fire two Tavera vehicles near Sailsui in Kalakote when the smugglers were carrying five bovine animals in them via Mughal road on Thursday. Six bovine smugglers were captured and severely beaten up with lathis, blows and kicks by the youth and then handed over to police. There is strong resentment among the people against police which has failed to check smuggling of bovine animals to Kashmir via Mughal Road from Rajouri and Poonch side. Sources said that nearly 25 to 30 vehicles loaded with bovines are plying on Mughal Road during night hours daily. They pay handsome amount at each naka for save journey. The police seizes hardly two or three vehicles in a week just to project its ‘performance’. A strong bovine smuggling mafia is operating in connivance with ‘some key officers’ in the department.
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