Man Beaten to Death, 2 Others Assaulted by Cow Vigilantes Over Rs 2L in K'taka, Accused Absconding

A Muslim man was beaten to death and his two associates were assaulted allegedly by a group of cow vigilantes on suspicion of cattle theft over Rs 2 lakh compensation for ‘letting them off’ in Karnataka’s Ramanagara district, near Bengaluru.

Idris Pasha, a cattle trader, and his two associates, Irfan and Syed Zaheer were transporting cattle via a container on Saturday when they were intercepted by cow vigilante Puneeth Kerehalli and his aides.

Accusing them of transporting cattle illegally for slaughter, Pasha and his associates told them that they had purchased cattle from the market and showed the sale papers. However, Kerehalli’s group demanded Rs 2 lakh for letting them off.

When Pasha refused to pay, they asked him to go to Pakistan and chased and attacked them.

A police constable intervened and took Zaheer and Kerehalli to the nearby police station.

Kerehalli lodged a complaint against Zaheer and others for illegally transporting cows. Zaheer and his associates were booked under sections of the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Prevention Act, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, Transportation of Animals Act, and Motor Vehicles Act.

Pasha was later found dead by the police.

Zaheer, the driver of the container, lodged a case against Kerehalli and his associates for murder, assault, criminal intimidation, wrongful restraint, and intentional insult to provoke a breach of peace, according to a Hindu report.

According to the police, Kerehalli and his aides were reported to be absconding.

The family members of Pasha staged a protest and demanded action against the cow vigilantes near the Sathanur Police Station, triggering tensions. The protests were also joined by members of the Muslim community in Ramanagara who demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits.

Karnataka’s anti-cow slaughter law came into effect in 2021 with strict provisions for stringent punishment to those who indulge in the smuggling and illegal transportation of cows.

(With inputs from IANS)

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