A 30-year-old man from Ramban, Jammu and Kashmir, has been missing since an alleged assault by cow vigilantes on Sunday. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned the incident as an attempt to establish 'jungle raj' and urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for strict action. Police have arrested four suspects and formed a special investigation team.
Tanveer Ahmad Chopan, a 30-year-old from Pogal village in Ramban, was transporting cattle in a pick-up vehicle from Jammu on Sunday afternoon. Near Digdole, alleged cow vigilantes in two vehicles chased him and pelted stones. They intercepted the vehicle near Maggarkote, assaulted him, after which Chopan fled and jumped into a nullah. He has been missing since.
News of the incident prompted locals to block the Jammu-Srinagar national highway near Maggarkote in protest. Officials constituted a special investigation team (SIT) headed by Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Banihal, Surinder Singh Biloria. Police arrested four people: Surjeet Singh, Sandeep Singh, Digvijay Singh, and Kewal Singh, all residents of Ramban.
At a government event in Bijbehara town, Anantnag, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, "Certain elements, uncomfortable with peace, want to incite communal tension and unrest. We will act firmly against those trying to establish jungle raj here." He urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, in charge of law and order, to take strict action and termed Chopan's disappearance as "murder".
Abdullah added, "We are keen to have a peaceful atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir, but there are some people who want to establish jungle raj here and vitiate the atmosphere. I will never allow this to happen in J-K." As of Tuesday, April 14, the young man remained untraced.