Srinagar, Sep 19: At least six persons were injured, three of them critically, after two communities clashed in Lolab area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, reports said today.
They said that the scuffle took place after cattle strayed into a cannabis cultivation farm.
Quoting the family members, news agency GNS reported that the incident took place in Forest Compartment number 40/41 in Nagmari Bomach between two rival communities belonging to Dardpora and Divar Dilbagh Kakkarpati areas.
Talking to news agency GNS, Mohammad Maqbool Chakbari alleged that the Divar Dilbagh Kakkarpati residents attacked his community members after several of their cattle strayed into bhang cultivation belonging to the former.
“They (Divar Dilbagh Kakkarpati group) attacked us and injured our six persons”, Chakbari said, adding that three of the injured have been referred to District Hospital Baramulla in a critical condition.
He identified the injured as Mohammad Yousaf Awan, Mushtaq Ahmad Chugta, Mohammad Maqbool Chugta, Gudi Begum, wife of Riyaz Ahmad, Zainab Noor wife of Shah Jahan and Shakeela Begum wife of Bashir Ahmad Shiekh.
Abdul Hamid Chugta told GNS that they have lodged a complaint at Police Station Lalpora.
A police official told GNS that investigation into the incident is going on.
The incident has given fresh impetus to the demand by locals, seeking stringent and fool-proof action against the bhang cultivators in the area, who according to them have encroached upon large patches of forest land.