3 min readJammuApr 13, 2026 06:45 PM IST
Hundreds of people blocked the Jammu-Srinagar national highway near Maggarkote in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district on Monday in protest against the disappearance of a 30-year-old man, who fell into a nullah while allegedly being chased by cow vigilantes.
Tanveer Ahmad Chopan of Pogal village was bringing cattle in a pick-up vehicle from Jammu on Sunday, when, at Digdole near Ramban in the afternoon, some alleged cow vigilantes in two vehicles started chasing and pelting stones at him. They eventually intercepted his vehicle near Maggarkote.
After being allegedly assaulted, Tanveer purportedly ran down the road and jumped into the nullah.
Police said they reached the spot after being informed about the incident and launched a rescue operation, but the man could not be located.
SDRF members looking for missing youth in Bisleri nullah. (Express Photo)
On Monday morning, hundreds of angry residents of Pogal and nearby villages in Ramsu sub-division came to Maggarkote and blocked the national highway. The blockade continued till 1.30 pm with long queues of vehicles stranded on both sides.
While police reinforcements were rushed to the spot to control the situation, Ramban Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police also turned up and persuaded the protesters to lift the blockade. Assuring them of a fair and transparent investigation, the officials announced the constitution of a special investigation team headed by Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Banihal, Surinder Singh Biloria.
Four people have been arrested in the case so far, police said, identifying them as Surjeet Singh, Sandeep Singh, Digvijay Singh and Kewal Singh, all residents of Ramban.
The National Conference’s Banihal MLA, Sajad Shaheen, also visited the spot and appealed to the people to exercise restraint while also calling for a time-bound and impartial investigation. He condemned the assault by cow vigilantes. “Such barbaric acts have no place in a civilised society and appear to be a direct attempt to vitiate the hard-earned peace and harmony of our otherwise peaceful Ramban district,” he said.
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People blocking Jammu-Srinagar national highway in protest against cow vigilantes who assaulted a local youth carrying a bovine animal home in a vehicle. (Express Photo)
BJP’s Ramban MLA Arjun Singh Raju and senior Congress leader Vikar Rasool Wani also expressed concern over the incident, demanding a thorough investigation and strict punishment for the culprits.
Meanwhile, Beopar Mandal president Banihal Shadab Wani called off a one-day strike to protest against the incident, saying that police had assured them of stern action against the culprits.
Meanwhile, an NDRF team from Udhampur also joined the search operation underway to trace the missing man in the nullah, which flows into the Chenab river further downstream.
