Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JS)

Mangaluru, Sep 9: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal on Wednesday September 9 slammed the police department over the issue of cattle trafficking and alleged that the police have been acting under pressure from higher-ups in handling such cases.

Addressing a press meet here, Kateel Dinesh Pai, provincial Goraksha Pramukh of VHP said, "When cows are taken to slaughterhouses, no action is taken on the culprits despite giving information to senior police officials. When asked, they say they have pressure from higher-ups not to conduct raids on slaughter houses. By this it is evident that police department and the government are indirectly supporting cow slaughter. VHP and Bajarang Dal strongly condemn this."

He further added, "In Karkala, limbs of five cows were found in a Maruti van. Many similar incidents have occurred in different places. When a church was attacked sometime ago, the accused were put in jail for a year just for damaging the hand of a statue, stating that it had hurt religious sentiments. But no action is taken on those who steal and slaughter cattle."

"Cow slaughtering too hurts the religious sentiments of Hindus. So those who indulge in such acts should be put behind bars under sec 295A (deliberate acts intended to outrage religious sentiments). We strongly demand this," he said.

"There is a Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animal (SPCA), of which the deputy commissioner is chairman and SP is a member. In spite of this, no meeting has been convened from the past two years, as per an RTI reply we sought. At least they should bear the expenses of rehabilitating the cattle," he urged.

Jagadish Shenava, district president of VHP, Gopal Kuthar, Pradeep Pumpwell, Bajrang Dal leader and others were present.