Attacked after my complaint on illegal cattle transportation: Bengaluru techie

A Bengaluru-based software engineer and animal rights activist said on Monday she was allegedly attacked by a mob after she lodged a police complaint against illegal cow slaughter at a locality in Karnataka’s capital.

Nandini M told HT her right shoulder was fractured during the assault on Saturday in the Avalahalli area, a rundown locality in the country’s technology hub. Her car was also damaged in stone-pelting by the mob, she added.

Police, however, blamed Nandini for the incident, saying the stone-pelting was sparked by her car hitting a roadside kiosk.

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said: “Nobody can take law into their hands, will take action according to the law.”

Nandini said she and one of her friends alerted the police after noticing about 14 cows being transported, which she described as “suspicious”.

Slaughter of milch cows and calves are banned in Karnataka, though old, injured or cattle suffering from disease are allowed to be killed in licensed abattoirs.

Nadini said when she did not get any response from the police, she and her friend returned to the police station to enquire about the matter.

“We were told that 15 police officials had gone to the spot and were rescuing the animals. But fearing that the police might have missed the location we took two constables and went to the spot,” she said.

When they reached the locality, Nandini said, they saw a crowd and hence assumed that the police were at the spot.

“When we entered the narrow lane leading to the room (where the cattle were allegedly taken) we were shocked to find that there was no police. That is when we felt something hit the car,” she added.

She said a large mob had surrounded their car and stones were being thrown at them from a nearby construction site.

Nadini said though the two constables got out of the car, the mob kept pelting stones forcing her to flee from the scene.

“We don’t know what happened to the constables,” she said.

When they went back to the station, the officer in-charge accused them of having created a law and order problem, she added.

“They could have warned us that a mob had gathered and not to go to the spot,” Nandini said, accusing the police of leading her into a trap.

A senior officer at the Thalaghattapura police station, who did not want to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media, said the mob pelted stones because Nandini’s car had hit a petty shop when she had gone back.

“The violence was because of the accident,” the officer said. “We have rescued three cows from the spot.”

Nandini refuted the officer’s version saying she might have hit the shop while trying to escape the stone-pelting mob.

The incident gave the opposition BJP a handle to target the Congress government in the state.

Former chief minister and BJP state unit president BS Yeddyurappa said the incident highlighted the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

“Condemn the brutal mob-attack on the woman who exposed illegal cow slaughter. This violent attack today in Bengaluru is another proof law & order breakdown under @cmofkarnataka Sh. @Siddaramaiah,” he tweeted.

The BJP has been running a campaign for protection of cows, considered sacred by many Hindus.