Naeem Ahmad Shah (50), a resident of Qilla Mohalla in Bhaderwah, was walking home from Basti village with two others, when he was shot by some people at Nalthi bridge around 2 am on Thursday.

New Delhi, May 18:

A five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted on Saturday to probe the death of a 50-year-old cattle trader, which had triggered communal violence in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bhaderwah town of Doda district.

“A five-member SIT headed by Superintendent of Police, Bhaderwah, Raj Singh Gouria has been constituted to probe the killing of Shah,” PTI quoted senior Superintendent of Police, Doda, Shabir Ahmad Malik as saying.

On Saturday, Gouria, along with with other members of the SIT, and a team of Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) visited the scene of the incident at Kachi Nalthi village and collected fresh evidence.

“We are at the scene as part of the investigation after the setting up of the SIT although the probe of the case has already started soon after the incident,” PTI quoted Gouria as saying.

Naeem Ahmad Shah (50), a resident of Qilla Mohalla in Bhaderwah, was walking home from Basti village with two others, when he was shot by some people at Nalthi bridge around 2 am on Thursday. When the men reached near Nalthi bridge, they noticed some people hiding behind the bushes. These people allegedly started abusing them and accused them of being cattle smugglers.

The two people accompanying Shah claimed that the fire had come from those houses inhabited by members of another community. The Doda district administration, however, had refuted reports that “cow vigilantism” was the reason behind the killing of Nayeem Shah and said some people were trying to give communal colour to the incident to flare up the situation.

Meanwhile, curfew continued in Bhaderwah town and its outskirts and mobile internet services remained suspended across Doda district for the third day on Saturday. However, no untoward incident was reported from any place.

Deputy Commissioner, Doda, Sagar Doifode said the pelting of stones following the incident was carried out by non-locals and three of them were arrested so far.

“All those involved in violent protests are being identified. More arrests are expected in the coming days,” PTI quoted Doifode as saying.

Police have been directed to collect details of non-locals, including students, labourers, servants and businessmen who are living as tenants to keep a watch on their activities.

The Army along with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and police remained deployed in the town even as shops belonging to the majority community in adjoining Kishtwar district town were shut as a protest against the killing of Shah.

Courtesy: Indian Express