Mob attacks two men for transporting Cattle in K’taka, Five arrested

Bengaluru: Police in coastal Karnataka’s Dakshin Kannada district, on Thursday, arrested five people for attacking two men alleging they were transporting cattle. The incident took place on Wednesday morning and the two victims -- Abdul Rahim and Musthafa have been hospitalised.

According to officials of Dakshin Kannada police headquarters, the attack took place when the two men were returning home in a pick-up truck after repairing the vehicle at a garage in Belthangady. The men had gone to visit Rahim’s relative near Belthangady when their vehicle broke down and they had given it for repair on Tuesday.

“Around 10 am, when the two men reached Melanthabettu village, two men on a motorcycle waylaid them. They questioned where they were going and as per the victims, the two men started attacking them,” said a police official.

Soon, few more men joined the duo. “They damaged the vehicle claiming the two men were transporting cattle. They attacked them using clubs and hit them with slippers as well. Our officials were informed about the attack and we rescued them,” police added.

The police have registered a case under Indian Penal Code Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 341(wrongful restraint), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) 323 (hurt) 324 (hurt by dangerous weapons or means) 326 (causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 355 (assault intending thereby to dishonour a person).

Five men -- Rajesh Bhat, Rakesh Bhat, Guruprasad, Lokesh and Chidanand – have been arrested. They are on the lookout for few more suspects, police added.

The BS Yediyurappa-led state government had passed the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act on February 8, which widens the existing provisions for punishment for killing of cattle and offers protection to those “acting in good faith” to save them.