Udhampur attackers were shown bovine slaughter videos

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Udhampur, October 13

The attack on a Kashmir-bound truck in Udhampur has again unfolded the “simmering undercurrent” of regional divide between Kashmir 

and Jammu regions in the wake of beef controversy.

Interrogators have revealed that a group of eight persons was “motivated” by repeatedly showing them videos of bovine slaughter and “hatred against minorities, especially Hindus” in Kashmir before launching the attack on truckers.

The accused, mostly in their early 20s, had been planning the attack since the beef ban controversy began, particularly after circulation of videos of open bovine slaughter on social media sites. The police had arrested five accused while three identified accused, including the kingpin, were evading arrest.

The police had been conducting an investigation to nail down the “mastermind”, believed to be politicians, who “instigated” the accused for launching the attack. The police had formulated dossiers of rumour-mongers and decided to book them under the Public Safety Act, if necessary.

“We have identified eight persons involved in the attack and five of them have been arrested. Our teams are on the job to arrest the absconding persons and are hopeful of early arrest,” said Surinder Gupta, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Udhampur-Reasi Range.

The police officer said preliminary investigation suggested that the accused attacked truckers in the backdrop of a controversy over the beef issue. “We are working on different theories and will unravel the mystery soon,” he said.

On the night of October 9, miscreants hurled bottles containing combustible material on a Kashmir-bound truck in Udhampur with three persons inside it. Two persons received burn injuries in the incident and they were receiving treatment at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital. Their condition was stated to be stable.

The accused had been booked under the Explosive Substances Act while a case under the Public Safety Act was registered against them as well. Sources said the accused were repeatedly shown videos of open bovine slaughter and “hatred against minorities, especially Hindus” in the Kashmir valley for “instigating” them to launch an attack.

The attack took place following tension in Udhampur district after three bovine carcasses were found in the Chenani area on October 8 under mysterious circumstances.

The districts of Udhampur, Reasi and Kathua in Jammu province observed a shutdown on October 9 while Jammu observed a bandh on October 10. After the Udhampur attack, uproarious scenes were witnessed in the Assembly while parts of Kashmir observed a shutdown on October 12.

Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Udhampur Deputy Commissioner, said nobody would be allowed to disturb peaceful atmosphere and communal harmony in the district. “The situation has improved 

significantly with the support of civil society and public in general,” he said.