Four villagers were arrested in Karnataka’s Belagavi district on Monday for allegedly tying Sri Rama Sene members to a pole and thrashing them after they intercepted a vehicle transporting cows and later barged into the home of the cattle’s owner, the police said.
On June 26, the Sri Rama Sene activists intercepted a vehicle transporting cows in Ingali village near Hukkeri, alleging that the animals were being illegally taken for slaughter. They took the driver to the police station and alleged the cows were headed to a slaughterhouse.
However, the driver insisted the cattle were being transported for dairy or taming purposes. Further, he alleged the Sri Rama Sene activists attempted to extort money from him by making false accusations.
The cows were then shifted to a cow shelter in Ingali.
On June 28, Sri Rama Sene activists allegedly barged into the house of Babasab Ramjan Multani, the owner of the cows, after he brought the cattle back from the cow shelter.
A police officer said there were only women at the house at the time and that the Sri Rama Sene men were attacked as they were initially mistaken for thieves.
On June 29, Sri Rama Sene leader Vithal Gaddi alleged five of their activists were attacked when they tried to prevent illegal cattle transportation and that the police did not take any action against the assailants.
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However, Belagavi SP Bhimashankar Guled said on Monday that four men who assaulted Sri Rama Sene activists were arrested.
When the Sri Rama Sene activists took Multani’s vehicle to the Hukkeri police station, he provided documents stating that the cows were being used for farming and not to be sent to a slaughterhouse. But when Sri Rama Sene activists barged into Multani’s house, they were attacked by villagers including Hindus and Muslims, according to the police.
The Sri Rama Sene activists did not file any complaint but alleged the police did not accept their complaint. “We have enough evidence to prove that they chose not to file a complaint. Now, we have taken up a suo motu case and arrested four persons,” the police officer added.
“While Sri Rama Sene activists broke the law by barging into a house without permission, some villagers did the same by assaulting them. The victims don’t seem to be innocent. One of them is a rowdy-sheeter and is under externment. Some people are misusing the names of the organisation,” he said.
