Three receive burn injuries in petrol bomb attack in Udhampur

UDHAMPUR: Three persons, including a policeman, received burn injuries when a Kashmir bound truck was attacked with a petrol bomb in this district of Jammu and Kashmir.

"Three persons including a policeman, co driver and conductor received burn injuries when an unknown man first broke the front glass of the truck and later threw a petrol bomb inside the truck late last night," a police officer said.

Three persons, the truck driver, a co driver and a conductor were sleeping inside the truck at the time of the incident, the officer said.

He said that the traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was halted since yesterday following the day-long strike call given by various Hindu outfits following the recovery of three carcasses of cows in the districts.

The truck was on its way to Srinagar from Jammu and was halted since yesterday morning near the Shiv Nagar area of the district, the officer said.

He said that two inmates of the truck Zahid (19) and Showkat (35) received serious burn injuries and a policeman who tried to help douse the fire also received some burn injuries in the incident.

The injured were first shifted to the District Hospital Udhampur and later referred to Government Medical College (GMC) hospital in Jammu, he said.

The police said that several people have been detained for questioning in connection with the incident.

"Several people have been taken into custody for questioning and we are hopeful to identify and arrest the culprits soon," the officer said.

Three districts of Jammu region including Udhampur, Kathua and Reasi observed a complete strike yesterday after three carcasses of cows were found behind the office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in the Chenani area of Udhampur district.

The strike was also called to protest against Independent MLA Engineer Rashid's 'Beef Party' in Srinagar.