Self-styled ‘Gau Rakshak’ group assaults nomad family in Reasi

Police arrest four assailants

5 Dariya News

Reasi 22-Apr-2017

Police on Saturday arrested four members of a self-styled ‘Gau Rakshak’ (cow vigilante) group from Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir after they assaulted a nomad family when they were moving with their livestock on Thursday night. A nomad family comprising nine members including two women and a girl along with their live stock was stopped by self-styled ‘Gau Rakshak’ group near Talwara bridge in Reasi district and was assaulted resulting in the injuries of five persons.“We were so frightened after they attacked us in darkness. We are nomads and livestock is our lifeline. We have been moving livestock from one place to another since the time of Maharajas and nobody till date dared to touch us. But these goons who claimed to be the members of some Gou Rakshak Simiti pounced upon us with sticks and rods. We screamed and cried for help but all in vain,” wounded Naseema Banoo told news agency CNS.She identified some of her injured family members as Shabir Ahmed son of Jumma Din, Nazakat Ali son of Basharat Ali, Abida Akhtar daughter of Shoibuddin and Saima Akhtar daughter of Showkat Ali. The injured are being treated at Jammu Medical College. The frightened family alleged that in the garb of cow protection, these fringe elements want to disrupt communal harmony. “Is cow more precious than a human life? They wanted us to kill us,” said the family members adding that the gou rakshaks seized their live stock.Meanwhile, police registered an FIR and arrested four assailants. “Four persons have been arrested and the livestock has already been restored to the goatherds who are their rightful owner,” he said. (CNS)