: A Bajrang Dal activist and two of his associates were caught transporting cattle in two vehicles near Alduru in Chikkamagaluru taluk recently. The arrested includes K.N. Vijayendra, a member of the Koppa Rural Gram Panchayat, and convener of Koppa taluk unit of the Bajrang Dal.
The incident occurred on October 26 and the police have taken the three men into custody and seized vehicles.
Mr. Vijayendra, Uday Kumar, a resident of Yelahanka in Bengaluru, and Pavan Kumar, a resident of Indira Nagar in Koppa, were transporting seven heads of cattle in two vehicles — five in a pick-up van and two calves in a car — from Koppa to Bengaluru. The local people, who saw cattle being transported in an inhumane manner, stopped the vehicles and informed the Alduru police.
Chikkamagaluru Superintendent of Police K. Annamalai, on Sunday, told The Hindu , “They were transporting cattle in an inhumane manner. They claimed they were taking them for grooming. We arrested all the three and later released them on bail.”
They have been booked under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964.
“If found guilty, the punishment for the crime is less than seven years imprisonment,” Mr. Annamalai said.
