*Family holds protest, blocks highway
Excelsior Correspondent
RAMBAN, Oct 19: A nomad and over one dozen cattle were killed, when a rashly driven truck rammed into a Bakerwal’s dera at Thopal area on Batote-Doda-Kishtwar highway early morning today. However acting swiftly police arrested the accused driver.
As per reports, a truck bearing registration number JK02AF-9327 was on its way to Doda from Jammu, when the driver rammed the vehicle into a dera of Bakerwal family, resulting into on the spot death of one youth and over one dozen cattle. In the incident, 9 cattle also received injuries. The driver drove the vehicle and escaped from the spot.
On getting information, police team chased the vehicle and seized it near Assar, while the driver managed to escape from the spot.
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The deceased nomad has been identified as Rehmatullah (28), son of Mohammad Yaqoob, a resident of Trungal, Batote, District Doda.
As the news of the accident spread, family members of the youth assembled near Thopal and held protest by blocking the vehicular movement on the Batote-Doda-Kishtwar highway. The protestors were demanding immediate arrest of the driver and strict action against him.
After getting information, ADC Ramban Dr Basharat Hussain accompanied by Tehsildar Batote and DIG Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban Rafiq-ul-Hassan range reached the spot and pacified the agitating people by assuring them to arrest the accused driver within stipulated time and strict action against him.
On the assurance, the protesting people dispersed and vehicular movement on the Batote-Doda-Kishtwar highway.
However, on specific information, a team from Batote Police Station conducted raids in several areas of Batote and Doda areas and finally arrested the accused driver, who has been identified as Basharat Ali, a resident of District Doda.
A case under FIR Number 114/18 under Sections 279, 304-A and 429 RPC has been registered at Batote Police Station and investigation started.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Ramban Shokat Aijaz Bhat has sanctioned Rs 10000 from Red Cross Fund in favour of bereaved family.
Advisor to the Governor Khurshid Ahmed Ganai has expressed grief over the death of the man in this accident.
Expressing grave concern over the alarming rise in the number of road accidents resulting in loss of precious lives, Ganai asked the Transport Commissioner and IGP Traffic to take immediate steps to arrest the trend.
Advisor also expressed sympathies with the bereaved family, who lost their dear one in the accident.
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