Violent clashes broke out in Bhoond area of Basohli in Kathua district early on Monday morning after local residents started protesting against a ‘sacrilegious act’ committed by unidentified people late on Sunday night to trigger tension in the area.
Sensing more trouble during the day, the district administration rushed paramilitary forces in the area to contain the violence. Even then as day progressed, violent clashes spread to nearby areas of Kathua district.
According to official sources, “at least eight shops were gutted and few vehicles were torched by the agitated protestors demanding strict action against the miscreants responsible for slaughter of a bovine animal”.
According to local reports, “a group of miscreants had committed slaughter of a bovine animal late on Sunday night and were caught red handed by few local residents in the area”.
In the morning, the news of slaughter of a bovine animal spread like wild fire and large number of people came on to the streets in Bhoond area of Basholi to register their protest. The local markets remained closed during the day.
Tension also gripped Bani and Mahanpur area of Kathua as local shopkeepers downed their shutters and observed complete bandh in the area.
Stone pelting and slogan shouting continued at several places in Basohli between the two groups. The situation was later brought under control by the district administration with active help from the Jawans of the paramilitary forces. The senior citizens belonging to both the communities were roped in by the district administration to restore normalcy in the area in view of the Eid celebrations.
Deputy Commissioner Kathua Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary told The Pioneer, “following sporadic violence in Bhoond area of Basohli there was some tension but the he situation was brought under control before it took an ugly turn”.
The Deputy Commissioner said, the Army and CRPF jawans have been deployed in small columns in the tension prone area as a preventive measure during the night. Section 144 has also been imposed in the area preventing assembly of more than 4 persons at one place,official sources said.