At Least Two Dozen Injured in Clashes With Police Over Beef Killing in Kashmir

India
An Indian policeman removes a damaged table after it was set on fire by the supporters of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), a Kashmiri separatist party, during a protest in Srinagar October 20, 2015 against the detention of its chief, Mohammad Yasin Malik.  REUTERS/Danish Ismail

At least two dozen people have been injured in clashes with police after protests erupted in Indian Kashmir over the killing of a Muslim man by Hindus campaigning against eating beef.

The clashes in Kulgam and Anantnag districts broke out on Sunday after a trucker was attacked in the Hindu-dominated Jammu region of Kashmir by a crowd believing him to be involved in transporting cows, police said.

Protesters also pelted police with stones, police said, without specifying who had been injured since Monday.

Protesters have blocked the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, the only road link to the Kashmir valley. Schools and offices remained shut in the valley following a strike called by separatist leaders and traders in protest at the murder.

"We imposed restrictions in Anantnag today as a precautionary measure after there were clashes soon after the death of truck conductor Zahid Ahmad," said SJM Gillani, head of the state police, said on Tuesday, referring to curbs on the movement of traffic and people.

Tempers had already been running high in Jammu and Kashmir, India's only Muslim majority state, after members of a little known Hindu group blackened the face of a state legislator with ink for throwing a party where he served beef.

Cows are considered holy by many, but not all, Hindus, who form a majority of India's 1.2 billion population. Beef is eaten by Muslims and Christians, as well as many lower-caste Hindus.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has long advocated a ban on killing of cows, but the constitution guarantees equal rights to minority Muslims and Christians, and Modi has called for religious harmony.

Nonetheless, the government is struggling to rein in hardline Hindu groups in parts of the country.

Hindu activists have stepped up their campaign in recent weeks on issues ranging from a ban on slaughtering cows to cricket matches with Pakistan, saying their rival neighbor must first stop Islamist groups operating from its soil.

Police in the southern city of Bengaluru ordered an inquiry after an Australian man complained in a Facebook post that he had been harassed by a mob and forced to write an apology by police for sporting a tattoo of a Hindu goddess on his leg.

Modi's critics say there is a climate of intolerance and that his party is pushing the agenda of the Hindu majority. President Pranab Mukherjee said tolerance was the essence of India's civilization.

"Humanism and pluralism should not be abandoned under any circumstance," he said in remarks widely interpreted as a signal to the Modi administration to crack down on fringe groups.

The latest trouble began when a Hindu mob lynched a Muslim man and beat up his son near the Indian capital, saying they had stored beef in their fridge.

(Reporting by Fayaz Bukhari in SRINAGAR, Derek Francis and Aby Jose Koilparambil in BENGALURU; Writing by Rajesh Kumar Singh; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Alison Williams)

    Most Popular
  • Is 'The Last Supper' worth watching? Audience and critics weigh in

    Is 'The Last Supper' worth watching? Audience and critics weigh in

    Faith-based films often receive mixed reactions, and The Last Supper is no exception. The movie attempts to bring a fresh perspective to one of the most iconic moments in Christian history, but does it succeed? Some reviews from critics and audiences provide insight into its strengths and shortcomings.

  • ‘The Chosen’ Season 5: The darkest season yet—What to know before watching

    The wait is over—The Chosen is back with its fifth season, and this time, things are getting intense. The new episodes dive straight into the final days of Jesus’ life, covering some of the most emotional and dramatic moments in the Bible. If you’ve been following the series, you already know that The Chosen isn’t just about retelling familiar stories—it’s about bringing them to life in a way that feels real.

  • Massacres in Syria: Over 1,000 dead, including Christians and Alawites

    Syria’s coastal regions have been devastated by a series of massacres, with reports indicating that over 1,000 people—many from Christian and Alawite communities—have been killed in brutal attacks. Entire families have been wiped out, and survivors are fleeing in search of safety as sectarian violence escalates.

  • Kim Sae-ron and Wheesung: The tragic irony of Korean society and the principles of happiness

    Not long ago, the media was in an uproar over actress Kim Sae-ron’s passing. Just months before, the same people who had relentlessly criticized her for her DUI incident were now expressing sympathy, saying, "The world was too harsh on her." The irony is impossible to ignore.

  • Newsboys move forward as a quartet after Michael Tait’s departure

    After more than a decade as the lead singer of the Newsboys, Michael Tait has officially parted ways with the band, marking a significant shift in the Christian rock group’s lineup. The remaining members—Jeff Frankenstein, Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips, and Adam Agee—have assured fans that they will continue forward, embracing a new season of music and ministry.