One of the five Dalits of Shantipura in Koppa taluk who was assaulted by Hindutva activists for “stealing and slaughtering a cow,” has sought police protection.
Balaraj, made the appeal to senior police officers who visited his house on Sunday, following media reports about the July 10 attack.
Additional SP Annappa Nayak, Dy.SP Ravi Nayak and others spoke to him about the incident. Mr. Balaraj, who suffered an arm fracture, alleged that the activists continued their assault even after two police constables arrived at the spot. The officers assured him of protection and said action would be taken against the accused.
The victim, an agriculture worker, has gone without earnings for a fortnight as he cannot work with a fractured arm. He wanted to know who had sanctioned the attack.
“Our people had bought a bull from one Nagappa Gowda. It was not stolen. If we had made a mistake, the police should enquire. Who are these Hindutva group activists to attack us,” he asked.
Senior police officers later met elected representatives in neighbouring Jayapura. Chikkamagaluru Zilla Panchayat vice-president S. N. Ramaswamy Shetty said he was not opposed to action against those involved, but innocents should not be harassed.
“Among the seven people against whom a case was registered, three were not at the spot. Their names have been included for political reasons,” he alleged. The BJP leaders who attended accused the Komu Souharda Vedike of misleading the media to make it an issue.
‘New avenue to assault’CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury condemned the attack. “Now the Sangh Parivar has found a new avenue, cow protection, to provoke assaults on Dalits”, he said at a seminar in Hassan. The incident was similar to what was done in Dadri, U.P. and Una in Gujarat. “If they want to protect cows, it is a different issue. But, why should they kill human beings in the name of protecting cows,” he asked.
