A Muslim man identified as Altaf Bokda and two others travelling in a truck from Punjab to Jammu were allegedly assaulted by a group of men near a roadside eatery in Chadwal, Kathua district, on November 2.
Jammu and Kashmir activist Talib Hussain shared a video of the incident, in which he met Altaf and his family in the Sidhra area of Jammu and described the alleged attack. Hussain identified two of the alleged attackers as Amit and Sunny and called for strict legal action against them.
According to Hussain, the truck was intercepted around 500 metres before a well-known dhaba near Chadwal. Amit and Sunny were allegedly following the vehicle in a Maruti Swift car. The men reportedly forced the truck occupants out, after which several others arrived in different vehicles.
Hussain said the attackers were carrying pistols, knives and iron rods and allegedly assaulted the men. He showed Altaf’s injured eye in the video, saying it had been damaged during the attack.
Altaf was travelling with the truck to learn to drive and sometimes worked as an assistant driver, Hussain said. Two other men, identified as Nisar and another person, were also reportedly assaulted. Hussain said he had not yet confirmed the extent of their injuries.
Activist Appeals to J&K Authorities for Action
In the video, Hussain appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Director General of Police to intervene and ensure action against those allegedly involved.
He described the incident as an attempt to murder and demanded that the accused face the strictest legal action. He also alleged that groups of men were operating across Kathua, Samba and Jammu and taking the law into their own hands.
Hussain said the attack had created fear among drivers and transport workers, who were concerned about their safety while travelling across the region.
Talib Hussain Raises Concern Over Possible Retaliation
Hussain also expressed concern that he could face action for raising the issue, alleging that the police might target him instead of pursuing the alleged attackers. He claimed that he had not received information about any arrests at the time of recording the video.
“Arresting Talib will not deliver justice to these young men,” he said, adding that the case concerned the safety and dignity of drivers, conductors and transport workers.
Hussain made the allegations in his video. The police response, the status of any investigation and whether the named individuals have been arrested were not available in the account shared by the activist.
