Bantwal: Bajrang Dal stops Omni transporting cattle, clashes erupt

Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal

Bantwal, Jul 5: Chaos erupted at Peruvai here on Friday July 5, after members of Bajrang Dal stopped a vehicle allegedly transporting cattle illegally. Police had to resort to a mild lathi charge after minor clashes broke out between groups over a comment.

The cattle were reportedly being transported in a Maruti Omni from Ninthikallu, Yennur in Sullia to Kerala via Kaddupadavu, Pervuvai.

It is said that a person identified as Chetan saw the car with calves inside and passed on the information to Bajrang Dal. Ramesh, Bhaskar, Mokshith, Yathish, Rakesh, Vishwanath, Balakrishna Shetty and Nayankumar, all from Bajrang Dal, waylaid the vehicle at Peruvai.

The driver fled the scene while another person, identified as Naveen (20) from Yennur, was caught and handed over to the police. He is said to be a vegetable vendor.

On interrogation, Naveen reportedly said that a person by name Shamshuddin from Yennur had been driving the vehicle, and that he had accompanied him on Shamshuddin's request. Two calves and a bull which were found in the Omni were later taken to Vittal police station by a pickup vehicle.

While the cattle were being loaded into the pickup vehicle by the locals, a person commented that Ranjith Marla (one of the persons present at the spot) had experience in loading cattle into vehicles and selling them. This led to a brawl.

Ranjith's father Ganesh Marla angrily demanded to know who had passed the comment. Peruvai BJP president Manohar Shetty, who had stood for taluk panchayat elections, also joined in the arguments with the person who had made the comment. Clashes arose between Peruvai Prabhakar Shetty, Gopal and Prashant Maniyani and Ranjith Marla.

Police who were at the spot resorted to mild lathi charge to bring the situation under control and eventually managed to disperse the crowd.