5 Including 9-Year-Old Girl Attacked By Cow Vigilantes In Jammu And Kashmir

Srinagar: Five members of a family including a 9-year-old girl have been injured in an attack by 'gau rakshaks' or self-styled cow vigilantes in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. The incident took place on Friday evening when a nomad family was moving with their livestock near the Talwara area. They were intercepted by a large group of gau rakshaks and beaten up with iron rods.

The victims say the attackers took away their entire flock including goats, sheep and cows. The injured, 9-year-old Sammi, who have suffered multiple fractures have been shifted to hospital.

The police said they have filed an FIR and action will be taken against the attackers. "We have registered an FIR. I have asked DIG of Udhampur range to visit the area. Strict action will be taken against these goons," said Jammu and Kashmir police chief SP Vaid said.

Police in Reasi said they have identified five of the attackers but no one has been arrested so far. "We are investigating the case and culprits will be brought to book," said a police officer in Reasi.

The victims say they can't forget the horror. "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," said Naseem Begam, one of the victims.

Besides goat, sheep, the family were moving with 16 cows. "They didn't even spare dogs. They too were taken away," she said.

Jammu and Kashmir has a large number of nomadic herder families, who travel between the Jammu's Himalayan mountains and the meadows of Kashmir every year with their flocks of cattle, horses, goats and sheep.