Cattle herder assaulted in village near Manesar

Baljit Singh, assistant sub inspector (ASI), Kherki Daula police station, said he was waylaid by a group of at least six men, including members of his extended family and relatives, who arrived in a car.

A 25-year-old man was allegedly kidnapped and assaulted with sticks by a group of men over a past dispute related to stealing of a buffalo in Bar Gujjar village near Manesar on Saturday, said the police.

The police said that the cattle herder sustained blunt injuries on his body and was rushed to the hospital for treatment. He was discharged on Sunday and recorded his statement with the police. (HT File Photos/For Representative Purposes Only)

According to the police, the victim, identified by his first name as Pritam, was admitted to the Civil Hospital for treatment and later discharged. His condition is said to be stable, said the police.

According to the police, the incident took place around 11am when Pritam, who is a cattle herder, had gone to herd cattle in a forest area near his village. Baljit Singh, assistant sub inspector (ASI), Kherki Daula police station, said he was waylaid by a group of at least six men, including members of his extended family and relatives, who arrived in a car.“The suspects asked him to get in the car with them to discuss a matter. After he got in, they took him to a deserted area in Bhondsi and assaulted him with sticks. The victim said that they drove him around for over four hours and dropped him to his village around 4pm in an injured state,” said the ASI. The police said he sustained blunt injuries on his body and was rushed to the hospital for treatment. He was discharged on Sunday and recorded his statement with the police.

ASI Singh said that as per preliminary probe, the victim was accused of stealing a buffalo, which belonged to one of the suspects, in the village about six months ago.

“The matter was discussed in the village panchayat and the dispute was settled after a compromise was reached between the opposing parties.However, according to the victim the enmity persisted,” said ASI. The police said the victim had named five persons and several unknown, who allegedly took him hostage and assaulted him. No arrests have been made so far in the case.

A case was registered against the accused men under sections 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code(IPC) at the Kherki Daula police station, said the police.