Severed cow-head row: Accused had lost cattle worth over Rs 1 lakh in Bajrang Dal raid

The act of the miscreants, who had dumped the cow-head on the parapet built by local unit of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal on November 9, had triggered communal tensions in the area.

Police had recently arrested three persons identified as Mansoor, Tasleem and Imran in connection with that case, while another accused, Bashir, is still absconding.

According to the Bantwal Rural police, the act was a “counter” for a series of “raids” on illegal cattle transport in the days preceding Bakrid in the last week of October.

The interrogation of the arrested trio has revealed that they suffered losses of more than Rs. 1 lakh after their cattle were seized during transportation, said Mahesh Prasad, sub-inspector, Bantwal Rural.

The accused were enraged by the act of Bajrang Dal activists who were targeting vehicles during cattle transportation and hence they dumped the severed head of a cow on the Bajrang Dal structure, he added.

'Retaliation'

Mr Prasad said that two other youths arrested in connection with dumping pig carcass at a Masjid in Mallur-Demmale on the outskirts of city on November 12 also have confessed to their crime.

Pavan (20), a refrigeration systems mechanic, and Avinash (23), a painter, both residents of Maripalla on the border of Bantwal and Mangalore taluks, were arrested on Tuesday in this connection.

Interrogation revealed that the two dumped the pig's carcass in the masjid after the severed head of a cow was found on a religious structure at Farangipete

The police said the two were members of Gow Raksha Samiti, which is part of Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

The two are accused of dumping the piglet's headless carcass in the Badriya masjid. On the same day, the head of a piglet was found tied to the gate of a madrasa in Ammunje in Bantwal taluk nearby. The police said that Pavan and Avinash were now the prime suspects in that case too.

“We will get a body warrant against the two and conduct a probe which will be parallel to the one taken up by the Mangalore Rural police,” Mr Prasad said.

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