Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 28: A vehicle involved in smuggling of bovine animals was set on fire by the villagers in Maira Mandriyan area last night.
Reports said that during last night the villagers from Pyan area of Maira Mandriyan in Akhnoor, noticed a vehicle smuggling milch animals. The youth of the area intercepted the vehicle. The driver stopped the vehicle at some distance and jumped away taking cover of darkness.
The villagers freed all the seven bovine animals and set the vehicle on fire. The villagers later held protest demonstrated against police and alleged that police collects money on all the nakas and allows movement of such vehicles. They hardly seize a vehicle after a fortnight or month just to show their `so called’ alertness. They raised loud slogans against Akhnoor police.
Later, police reached the spot. They called Fire Brigade which controlled the fire. The vehicle had however, totally burnt. The police took the cattle into custody. The villagers handed over the cattle to police team.
Today morning again, a large number of villagers gathered on the main road near Maira Mandriyan Police Station and protested against the smuggling of bovines in the area. The villagers alleged that cattle smuggling is going on continuously in the area for the last several months, but police avoids to take any action. About a month ago the villagers went to Akhnoor Police Station and informed the police officers, but despite that, cattle smuggling in the area was not stopped. The villagers said that the police should take necessary steps to stop the cattle smuggling in the area.