Members of Sri Ram Sene, a right-wing outfit, intercepted vehicles that were engaged in illegal transportation of beef in Doddaballapur, while setting one of the vehicles ablaze on Sunday, officials familiar with the matter said.
The members of the right-wing group allegedly received information about beef being illegally transported from Hindupur in Andhra Pradesh to various areas around Bengaluru.
According to officials, Sri Ram Sene activists conducted checks on vehicles near an inspection bungalow in Doddaballapur city. The situation escalated when the activists set ablaze the vehicle being used for transporting beef, and the individuals involved were made to sit on the road. Firefighters were rushed to the spot to douse the fire.
Doddaballapur police swiftly arrived on-site and brought the situation under control. To bring the situation under control, the police resorted to lathi charges and dispersed the crowd. A police cordon was established at the scene.
Protests led by the Sri Ram Sene activists called for the deputy commissioner to visit the location. “We received information about the illicit beef transportation from Hindupur to Chikkaballapur, Doddaballapur, and Bangalore rural district. Consequently, we intercepted a vehicle,” Sundaresh Nagaral, general secretary of district unit Sri Ram Sene told reporters.
“Despite meat being confiscated from these vehicles, we question the whereabouts of the concerned officials stationed at the toll booth,” he said .
“We have registered three FIRs in connection with the incident, and 22 people have been detained,” Bengaluru rural superintendent of police (SP) Mallikarjuna Baladandi told HT.
He said the police have recovered 18 tonnes of beef worth over ₹26 lakhs from the accused and recovered five vehicles.
He said the police arrested 15 Sri Ram Sene workers and seven accused who were transporting beef. The police also registered a case at CEN police station under IT act 66 against accused who spread the video clips on social media. “Sri Ram Sene workers were booked under section 153 A (Promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race) and the beef transporters under Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughtering and Preservation Act. No arrests have been made under IT act,” he said.
