Karnataka police registered the first FIR under the new anti-cow slaughter bill on charges of illegally transporting cattle. The arrest was reported in Chikkamagaluru district on 8 January.
According to the FIR, 30-40 cattle were being illegally transported in two containers to Mangaluru from Ranebennur in Davanagere. The case came to light after one of the drivers of the vehicles was attacked by unidentified men.
Cases were booked under sections 5 (Restriction on the transport of cattle) and 7 (Prohibition of sale, purchase or disposal of cattle for slaughter) of Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020
Unidentified Vigilantes Attack Truck Driver
According to the FIR, a policeman Dhanpal Naik was posted with a home guard at the Tanikodu check post. Around 7 am, five men travelling in two cars approached cops and asked them if any vehicle loaded with cattle had passed by the checkpoint. When the cop answered in negative, the men left.
Around 15 minutes later, Naik heard screams near the check post. On inspection, he didn’t find anyone but found an abandoned Tata Eicher lorry, which had its headlights smashed.
According to police, some villagers had gathered in the area, who reportedly heard screams. The two officers found blood stains near the vehicle but not the drivers. They also recovered 15-20 cattle from the lorry.
Naik soon informed his police station and an FIR was registered.
Around 7 am, another police officer found a Tata Eicher container blocking the street near a village near Sringeri. The officer stopped to check and found a man lying on the road. On enquiry, he found the man to be Abid Ali, the owner and driver of the container.
Ali told the police that he was attacked by four men who came in a Maruti car and they fled after attacking him. A second FIR was registered with the Sringeri Police Station against Ali under the new anti-cow slaughter law.
Police have registered an FIR for the assault against the driver as well.
Confusion Over the Law
A copy of the FIR read that the case was registered under the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Prevention Act (1964). This led to confusion since the new anti-cow slaughter law bill was passed in the state on 5 January.
However, Chikkamagaluru police officials clarified that the case was registered under the new law, however, since the Karnataka police’s database was not updated with the new act, old act was printed in the FIR.
They added that required changes will be made before submitting the FIR in court.
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