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J-K: Curfew in Samba following arson over alleged cow slaughter

Curfew was imposed in Jammu's Samba town on Thursday evening following large scale arson by a mob protesting a suspected case of cow slaughter.

Updated on: Aug 21, 2015, 16:24:49 IST
Hindustan Times | By , Jammu
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Curfew was imposed in Jammu's Samba town on Thursday evening following large scale arson by a mob protesting an alleged case of cow slaughter.

HT Image
HT Image

The mob set several vehicles, including a district magistrate's car, on fire, after the headless body of a cow was found in the area.

"Curfew has been imposed following violence in the area. It is probably for the first time a DM's vehicle was set on fire" said divisional commissioner Jammu Pawan Kotwal.

Reports said the protesters also blocked the Jammu-Pathankote national highway and damaged around 10 vehicles.

Authorities said no cow had been slaughtered in Samba district -- a charge that led to tensions and then violence at the first place.

This the third incident of commmunal flare-up in the area over the past three months.

On Wednesday, protest demonstrations were held after damaged copies of the Quran were found at a factory. Police later said the damaged copies came from a factory which received scrap after the Srinagar floods last year.

A youth was killed in June when police fired at protesters after posters of the Sikh separatist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale were removed by authorities.

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