In a shocking incident that unfolded on September 24th in Doddaballapura, Bengaluru, seven meat transporters fell victim to a violent attack. The police have identified this assault as an attempt to extort money by nearly two dozen activists associated with the Hindutva outfit, Sri Rama Sene. The attackers intercepted five trucks and a car at TB Circle in Doddaballapura, forcing the seven occupants to endure a degrading ordeal.
Source: India Posts English
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Early on a Sunday morning, in Doddaballapura a group of Sri Rama Sene activists stopped the convoy of meat transporters. The vigilantes, numbering close to two dozen, dragged the seven occupants out of their vehicles. To humiliate them, the attackers compelled these men to carry butchered animal parts on their heads and parade through the streets. Some of the assailants even recorded these distressing events on their mobile phones, while others set a vehicle ablaze.
In response to this horrifying incident, the police have taken swift action. Sixteen attackers have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including those related to extortion, unlawful assembly, rioting, and more. Separately, an FIR has been registered against the seven meat transporters under the stringent Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020. This legislation strictly prohibits the slaughter of all cattle, except buffaloes.
Source: The New Indian Express
Preliminary police investigations suggest that the attackers had prior knowledge of the meat transporters and their routines. One of the vigilantes, Devaraju, had allegedly extorted money from the transporters on multiple occasions in the past. Additionally, there are suspicions that he demanded money from the driver of the first intercepted vehicle, a Bolero pickup. When the driver refused to comply, Devaraju reportedly issued threats, indicating his intent to block the vehicle. Authorities are still delving into the exact motive behind these actions. An officer close to the investigation mentioned that crucial evidence is yet to be collected to conclude the case.
Following their arrest, all the individuals involved, including the 16 vigilantes and seven meat transporters, were presented before a court in Doddaballapura. The court has remanded them to judicial custody for a period of 14 days, as confirmed by a senior police officer involved in the case.
Source: Times of India
While the FIR initially alleged that the meat transporters were carrying 30 tonnes of beef, police sources have clarified that the trucks actually contained 18 tonnes of cow and buffalo meat. This discrepancy highlights the importance of thorough investigations to ascertain accurate information.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, an officer closely associated with the case revealed that the arrested meat transporters were regular visitors to the beef market near Russell Market in Shivajinagar. They routinely brought trucks loaded with beef to Shivajinagar, where interested vendors purchased the meat. It appears that these drivers made their trips to Bengaluru on a weekly basis.
Source: Banglore Chronicle
The cases against the vigilantes include a range of IPC sections, such as 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 341 (wrongful restraint), 384 (extortion), 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with the intent to cause damage), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), and 149 (every member of an unlawful assembly guilty of an offense committed in the prosecution of common object).
Conversely, the meat transporters are facing legal action under the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020, along with IPC sections 506 (criminal intimidation) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace).
