Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Aug 1: A local farmer of village Ban in Chann Arorian area of Kathua district was strangulated to death this evening by a miscreant over a dispute on grazing land, provoking strong protest by the people of the area, who along with dead body squatted on Jammu-Pathankot National Highway and blocked it.
As per reports, one Surmo Gujjar S/o Ferozdin of village Sumon strangulated to death one Ramesh Kumar 55, S/o Dhani Ram of village Ban in Chan Arorian area of Kathua district after there was an altercation between the two over grazing of land.
Panic gripped the entire area as the news of the murder of local farmer spread in the area with hundreds of agitated villagers including a sizable number of women coming out of their houses to protest against the cold blooded murder. They took the dead body and sat on the National Highway in protest against the murder demanding immediate arrest of the culprit.
The senior civil and police officers including D C Kathua, Ramesh Kumar, SSP Kathua, Suleman Choudhary, ADC Bharat Bushan ,SDPO Border, Ravel Choudhary and DySP Kathua Headquarter Shamsher Singh Samyal reached the spot to pursuade the protestors to lift the Highway blockade by assuring action under law against the culprit but they did not budge demanding his immediate arrest. The accused fled from the spot after committing the crime to evade arrest.
The people protested against the officers also demanding that the culprit be arrested and presented before them and only then they will lift the blockade forcing both DC and SSP to beat a hasty retreat. As the road blockade continued for over hours together there was a huge traffic jam up to 12 kilometers on NH.
Later again, the DC and SSP visited the spot in the late night hours appealing the protestors to lift the blockade by assuring compensation to bereaved family and arrest of culprit by sending police teams to different areas to arrest him. The officers also assured to appoint the son of victim as SPO. However people stuck to their demand and did not lift the blockade which continued till last reports came in.
Even the authorities brought an ambulance from District Hospital Kathua but people did not allow the body to be shifted for autopsy with the result the situation continued to be grim.
As per reports, the Surmo Gujjar had taken a field of Ramesh Kumar for grazing the cattle and instead of confining the grazing up to that field only, the Gujjar made tresspassing and put the cattle for grazing in another field of landlord.
It provoked Ramesh, who this evening entered into an altercation with the accussed. Ramesh was alone while the Surmo’s supporters were also present on the spot. This emboldened him and he strangulated landlord to death on spot evoking a strong protest from the people.
Seeing Ramesh dead, Surmo and his supporters fled from the spot. Later, the irate people took the body in their custody and sat on National Highway in protest for hours together blocking Highway from 8 pm.
Later, on the assurance of district administration the protestors dispersed and highway was restored.
SSP Kathua Suleman Choudhary said that the people were pacified and they lifted the dharna. He added that some family members of the accused have been detained and culprits will be behind the bars soon.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
