Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Jun 29: In connection with an incident of illegal cattle transportation, the Uppinangady police arrested six persons on Thursday, June 27 night. Two among them were arrested for illegal cattle transportation and four others on the allegation of attacking the transporters. The four who were held for attack were released late night on Thursday on bail.

Honnappa Gowda (55) from Belalu, who was driving the pick-up vehicle involved with this incident, and Usman (60) from Mapala House in Mogru village, were arrested for illegal transportation of cattle. The attackers, identified as Santosh Poojary (30) from Myrolthadka in Bandaru village, Dhanraj (21) from Kaniyoor village, Latish (20) from Padmunja in Kaniyoor and Sharat (19) from Morjalu village, who were arrested, are said to be the activists of Hindu organizations.

MLA Harish Punja along with others at the police station

The police have taken into custody two bullocks, a cow, and the pick-up vehicle in which they were being transported.

Honnappa Gowda was driving the pick-up van carrying the cattle on Thursday night. He was escorted by Usman who was riding a two-wheeler close to the van. Some activists of Hindu organizations, alleging that cattle had been stolen and were being illegally transported to the slaughterhouse, intercepted both the vehicles at the Mogru junction. Uppinangady police who came to know about the incident, arrived there, and took into custody six persons. A crowd which was at the spot dispersed at the sight of the policemen, after which some motorbikes found on the spot were brought to the station by the police.

Late night on Thursday, about 200 activists of Hindu organizations came together in front of Uppinangady police station, alleging that people who stopped illegal trafficking of cattle are being framed. MLA Harish Punja, advocate Subrahmanya Agarta, and others came there and urged the police to drop the case registered against the Hindu activists. But the police refused to budge. They promised to release the accused after attending legal formalities.

The activists then left the spot and came together near the temple at Uppinangady. After observing that the accused were not released even at 1 am, they again came to the police station under MLA Harish Punja's relationship, and sat in protest on the steps of the station. After legal formalities were complied with, the four attack-accused were released on bail.

At the same time, activists of Muslim organizations also began to come together in the downtown. A delegation on behalf of the illegal cattle transporters visited the police station and held talks.

The rural police circle inspector at Puttur Nagesh Kadri, and Uppinangady sub-inspector of police Nandakumar, handled the situation effectively.