Probe ordered into death of ‘cow smuggling’ suspect

Jammu, July 24: The mysterious death of a man who was detained by police on suspicion of being a cow smuggler in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district last week has prompted the administration to order a magisterial probe, officials said on Tuesday.

Javid Ahmad Malik, a resident of Bharat village, was detained by officials of the Chatroo police station on Friday and died the same day. While police claimed Malik fell into a deep gorge when he tried to escape from custody, his family has alleged that he was beaten to death.

An FIR was registered against the police officials for negligence and a departmental inquiry has started, officials said.

The station house office of the Chatroo police has been transferred and two others placed under suspension, while the dismissal of the services of a Volunteer Home Guard (VHG) has been recommended, they said.

According to Malik’s family, the victim had gone to the police station on his own to secure the release of two of his relatives who were arrested on charges of bovine smuggling.

Taking cognisance of protests in Doda and Chatroo over the death, District Development Commissioner, Kishtwar, Angrez Singh Rana ordered a magisterial probe into the incident.

“The inquiry will be conducted by Additional District Development Commissioner, Kishtwar, Imam Din who has been asked to submit his report in a specified time frame,” a police spokesperson said in a statement here.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Kishtwar, Abrar Chowdhary has also ordered a thorough departmental probe by Deputy Superintendent of Police, headquarters, Nihar Ranjan in the case, he said.

Chatroo SHO Inspector Mohammad Bashir has been sent to district police lines. Sub-inspector Sanjeev Kumar will replace Bashir, the spokesperson said, quoting the SSP.

‘Munshi’ (record keeper of a police station) Jaffar Khan and another selection grade constable Mohammad Amin were also placed under suspension, he said.

Chowdhary also recommended the dismissal of services of Mohammad Shareef, Volunteer Home Guard.

On the directions of the SSP, an FIR has been registered against the police officials for negligence, the spokesperson added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Kashmir Monitor staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)