Cow vigilantes have attacked a farmhouse of a Muslim family in Begehalli Village, Anekal taluk in Bengaluru Rural district on Wednesday.
According to police the family wanted to sacrifice two bulls, a day after Bakrid and distribute the meat among the poor. They were besieged by nearly a hundred vigilantes who claimed they were gau rakshaks from a Hindu outfit.
It is reported that a group of self-proclaimed gau rakshaks laid siege to a farmhouse on the southern outskirts of Bengaluru and locked up a 69-year-old businessman and his family, alleging that they were slaughtering a cow. The family members said they sacrificed a bull, not a cow, for Bakrid. Butchers were called to slaughter the animal on their premises. The 100-strong mob attacked the five-acre farm, about 25 km from the heart of the city, around 2pm. The mob vandalised the family’s car, bike and other property on the premises.
The Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act 1964, allows the slaughter of bulls, bullocks and buffaloes aged above 12 years as long as their meat is healthy, and the slaughter of animals that have become permanently incapacitated for breeding, draught or giving milk due to injury, deformity or any other cause.
According to Bengaluru Rural SP Amit Singh the police have take up the case against the family and investigation is on. He said they will investigate if there was any vandalism and take action against the culprits. He claimed the situation is under control and police reached the spot in time.
This is the first case of cow vigilantism reported from Bengaluru. However anti-cow slaughter vigilantes are active in coastal Karnataka.