Srinagar: The Jammu & Kashmir Students Association on Monday expressed anguish over an incident near Makarkoot in Ramban district, wherein a 25-year-old youth, Tanveer Ahmad Chopan, son of Abdul Salam Chopan, and a resident of Pogal in Ukhral tehsil, has gone missing under “highly suspicious” circumstances following a chase by the alleged cow vigilantes.
In a statement here, JKSA state president stated that Tanveer was travelling from Jammu to his native village in a Tata Mobile vehicle, transporting a cow and two calves – “his primary source of livelihood”.
JKSA alleged that near Digdool on NH-44, Tanveer’s vehicle was chased by two unidentified vehicles. Upon reaching Makarkoot, he was reportedly intercepted, “forcibly dragged out, and physically assaulted”.
JKSA noted that locals have raised serious allegations that the attackers were acting under the pretext of “cow vigilantism”. While the precise sequence of events leading to Tanveer’s disappearance is yet to be officially established, the gravity of these claims warrants a thorough, impartial, and time-bound investigation to ascertain the truth and fix responsibility, JKSA said.
It said a delegation of the Association led by state president Mubashir Ahmad and vice-district president of Ramban Manzoor Naik met Deputy Commissioner Ramban, Mohammad Alyas Khan, and SSP Ramban, Arun Gupta, urging immediate action and strict accountability.
The Association has also sought the intervention of J&K DGP Nalin Prabhat, demanding a prompt and transparent probe into the youth’s disappearance, “who reportedly jumped into a nallah (stream) while attempting to escape his attackers.”
It called for swift action against those involved, stressing the need to restore public confidence and ensure justice without delay.
Expressing concern over the lack of concrete action or arrests so far, the Association stated that such delays only deepen public anxiety and undermine trust in institutions.
JKSA further said that this incident appears to be part of a troubling pattern of similar occurrences in Ramban district, pointing towards an alarming rise in vigilantism. Such acts, it warned, threaten the rule of law, communal harmony, and the safety of ordinary citizens.
The Association demanded that all those responsible be identified and arrested at the earliest, and that the investigation be conducted in a transparent and credible manner with accountability fixed at all levels.
Emphasizing the need to preserve Jammu & Kashmir’s longstanding legacy of communal harmony and coexistence, JKSA also appealed to the public to maintain calm, urging that the incident should not be exploited to disturb the region’s peaceful atmosphere.
