Kishore Peraje
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)
Bantwal, Sep 19: A group of seven or eight persons reportedly belonging to a right wing outfit waylaid a pickup vehicle that was allegedly transporting 'stolen' cattle from Bantwal to an abattoir in Mangalore.
The vehicle was plying from Vagga towards BC Road when it was stopped at around 8.45 pm on Thursday, September 18.
A complaint filed with the police alleges that persons identified as Ivan D'Souza, Tasleem, Basheer and Ashok were transporting the cattle.
The members of the right wing outfit, on receiving information about the transportation of cattle, gathered near Thumbya junction and waylaid the pickup vehicle and a motorcycle. On seeing the activists and others people who had joined them, the persons in the vehicle fled the scene. Ivan D'Souza was sitting in the driver's seat.
It is alleged that the cattle were stolen from Vagga and being transported to Mangalore without permission.
The complaint states that that there were two cows and three calves in the vehicle. The pickup vehicle and the motorcycle have been seized by the police. The total value of seized property is said to be Rs 3,36,300.
Meanwhile, a counter complaint was filed against persons identified as Prashanth, Thilakraj, Umesh and others, stating that the group belonging to right wing outfit had illegally assembled and stopped them from transporting cattle.
The complaint states that the cattle were legally bought from different houses from Vagga by Ivan D'Souza, Tasleem, Basheer and Ashok, and that the incident took place when the pickup vehicle was moving towards BC Road.
It is alleged that the activists of the right wing outfit along with others intercepted the pickup vehicle near Thumbya junction and abused the foursome with indecent words and threatened to break their hands and legs and kill them the next time they were found transporting cattle.
A case has been registered in Bantwal rural police station.