Activists, cops attacked in the dead of the night, trying to rescue cows.
A 500-strong mob attacked 13 members of an animal rights group and six policemen when they raided a place where, they believe, cows are slaughtered illegally, in HAL police limits on late Thursday night.
The incident took place at Islampura between 10.30 pm on Thursday and 2 am on Friday. Two motorcycles of the activists were set ablaze and a police jeep was damaged in the stone pelting. The mob, belonging to a community, beat up the activists of Gau Gyan Foundation with sticks and stones. One woman activist, Joshine Anthony, was allegedly molested and her clothes ripped. One of the activists sustained a severe head injury and has been admitted to National Institute for Mental Health and Neuro Sciences.
Joshine told dna that at 6.30 pm on Thursday, when she was en route to Whitefield, she spotted a truck on BR Ambedkar Road (next to HAL Kalyana Mantapa) with cows packed like sardines. She followed the truck and realised the cows were being taken to a compound in Islampura.
She approached the HAL police and told them that she suspected the cows might be headed for illegal slaughter. Six policemen were sent with her. Joshine also informed her male friends who work with Gau Gyan Foundation; 12 of them joined her.
About 9.40 pm, the activists and the policemen entered the compound where the cows were kept. They found blood and bones, which convinced them that the cows were brought there to be slaughtered illegally ahead of the month of Ramzan. A mob of about 500 people surrounded the police men and the activists. The mob, raising slogans, began pelting stones on the activists.
Joshine alleged that the six policemen accompanying them ran away when the assault began. She said the police sustained minor injuries because of stone pelting. The activists, however, were trapped, at the mercy of the mob.
The police denied that any of their men were injured or ran away from the place. When HAL police station was informed about the mob attack, a larger contingent of policemen was sent to the spot to bring the situation under control.
Govt promises strict action
Additional commissioner of police (law & order), Kamal Pant, said the situation was brought under control and police personnel were deployed at the place to avoid further untoward incidents.
Joshine alleged that the complaint from Gau Gyan Foundation was not entertained by the HAL police. The police said they had already filed a suo motu case after taking cognizance of the matter on their own and a separate complaint was not required.
Home minister KJ George and police commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar visited the spot and requested the people to maintain peace in the area. George said strict action would be taken against those responsible for the attacks on the activists. However, no arrests were yet made.
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