SRINAGAR: At least five people including a 9-year-old girl were attacked by ’gau rakshaks’ or self-styled cow vigilantes.
According to NDTV reports, the incident happened in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir in the Thursday night when the nomad family was moving with their livestock( includes goats, sheep and cows) near the Talwara area.
A large group of cow vigilant stopped them and ruthlessly thrash. They didn’t even spare the a 9-year-old Sammi, who suffered multiple fractures and was getting treated at a hospital.
After this brutal act, they took away their entire flock.
#BREAKING J&K nomadic family beaten by cow vigilantes in Reasi district while shifting livestock. A 9-year-old girl was also attacked by mob pic.twitter.com/xF6Mmvv106
— News18 (@CNNnews18) April 22, 2017
One of the victims, Naseem Begam told NDTV, “They beat us ruthlessly. Somehow we managed to flee from there. One of our children, a 10-year-old, is still missing. We don’t know whether he is alive or dead. They even beat our elders very badly. They wanted to kill us and throw our bodies into the river.”
Five of the attackers have been identified. Police registered an FIR and four members of a self-styled ‘gau rakshak’ (cow vigilante) group were arrested.
“An FIR has been lodged. We have arrested persons involved in the attack on the nomad family moving with their livestock — cattle, sheep and goats on April 20 night,” a senior police officer told IANS.
The police officer said the livestock has already been restored to the goatherds who are their rightful owner.