Two cows, bullock stolen from Boonura Pulwama

PULWAMA — Two cows and a bullock were stolen last night in Boonura area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district amid an increase in the number of livestock thefts in recent weeks.

The cattle belonged to two families – Abdul Aziz Wani & Mohammad Akbar Khan – in Maqdampora Mohalla in Boonura village.

“The cattle were stolen last night. We believe the cattle has been lifted using a livestock transporter,” Mudasir Ahmad, son of Abdul Aziz, said.

He further said, “We approached the local police and they assured us speedy investigation. Let’s see what comes out.”

A local, Muzaffar Ahmad said that the area is prone to such property crimes because only a few families live there. “There have been such thefts before as well. Cattle lifters take advantage of the darkness coupled with scattered residential houses.”

“The loss of such valuable domestic animals has had a significant financial impact on the victim families,” the local said.

A local police official, on the condition of anonymity, said that they have recently seen higher than average incidents of livestock thefts across the rural areas in southern Kashmir in particular and the whole of Valley in general. He, however, said that it is not clear whether the rise is related to the Coronavirus-induced lockdown.

The police official said that people should intimate police about unusual or suspicious livestock movements “which will help us speed up the investigations and consequent recoveries of stolen livestock.”