11 held for thrashing members of nomadic family in Reasi

Jammu, April 24

At least 11 people were arrested for allegedly beating up members of nomadic family in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, while they were transporting bovines without permission on Thursday evening.

Also read: Mistake? Nomads get beaten up for being cattle smugglers

Four members of the nomadic family have also been booked for transporting cattle from Reasi to Inshan in Kishtwar district without taking permission from the Deputy Commissioner, Reasi.

"Eleven people have been arrested for thrashing two members of the nomadic family while they were transporting bovines without permission on Thursday evening," SSP, Reasi, Tahir Bhat told PTI.

The arrested people, Balbir Singh, Onkar, Sujivan Singh, Satpaul, Jagdev Singh, Lal Singh, Sunil Singh, Rakesh Kumar, Shankar Singh, Bhagwan Dass and Surinder Singh,  age between 18 and 50 and none of them has any criminal past.

Bhat said the situation has returned to normal in the area.

"Four members of the family have also been booked for illegally transporting cows and calves," he said.

The SSP said one needs a movement permit issued by the Deputy Commissioner for transporting cattle from one place to another in a vehicle and a nod from the DFO for transporting them on foot. They family did not take permission from the DC.

IGP, Jammu zone, SD Singh Jamwal told reporters that the arrested people had migrated to the region from militancy- affected areas in the mid 1990s but did not make it clear if they belonged to the VHP, Bajrang Dal or were cow vigilantes.

He said an advisory has been issued to all district police chiefs, SHOs of police stations and in-charge of police posts to ensure safety and facilitate movement of nomads along with their cattle from plains to higher reaches, which is a routine at this time every year.

"They have also been asked to advise them to move during the day to avoid recurrence of such incidents," he said. —PTI