Bengaluru Woman Claims Attack By Mob For Rescuing Cows, Police Give Another Side To The Story

A resident of Bengaluru, 45-year-old Nandini, alleged an attack by a group of people involved in illegal cow slaughter on the outskirts of the city, reported The Indian Express.

Some media reports suggest that her friend, one Pushpa Bisht, filed a complaint on Nandini’s behalf at Thalaghattapura Police Station under various sections of The Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Other reports suggest that Nandini, who is a software engineer, and her friend Pushpa are animal rights activists. On Saturday, Nandini and was with another friend of hers, Rijil, in her innova near Avalahalli when they noticed 14 cows being transported to a ‘slaughterhouse’. She rushed to the police to report and was told that a team of 15 policemen would be sent to the spot to rescue the cattle, she claims.

“I and my friend reached the spot with two policemen. But a mob of over 100 people threw boulders on my vehicle and damaged it. I and my friend were injured in the incident,” she said in the complaint, reported The Times of India.

The Indian Express and Deccan Herald reported that Nandini claims the police, instead of helping her, led her into a trap where the mob allegedly gathered and smashed the windows of her car leading to injuries on her arm and forehead. “There was no attempt by the police to stop the slaughter but they instead got off the car and exposed me to the mob,’’ she alleged. “This was a trap set up by the police. When we went to the spot after the police complaint, I saw a mob had gathered.”

As she said to The New Indian Express, there were 150-200 people surrounding them. The Hindu reports that she fractured her arm and sustained head injuries, while, her friend sustained wounds on her arms and face.

The police gives another side to the story

The Logical Indian spoke to DCP (south) S D Sharanappa who told us that there might be other factors at play for the attack.

“Yes, there is a case filed in Thalaghattapura Police Station but the investigation is ongoing because we have received contradictory versions of the incident. Some say that there was a metal pole in front of a shop that she hit with her car while driving and damaged the shop. This enraged a mob who began pelting stones at her car. She wasn’t directly attacked but was hurt due to the pelting of stones. The complaint filed is against unknown persons so we do not know for sure who is behind the attack,” said DCP Sharanappa.

“We are not ruling out the version that claims she was attacked for reporting cows being transported for slaughter. Two teams have already been formed that will be investigating both the stories. Whatever is the truth, we will take action accordingly,” he added, saying that nothing justifies a mob pelting stones at a fellow citizen.

There have been multiple reports of what actually happened on Saturday evening as the police are grappling with different versions of the incident. As claimed by Nandini, she was led into a trap by the police who could not help her, hence, the mob assaulted her friend and her. However, one does wonder if the case at all pertains to illegal transportation of cows for slaughter. Whatever the truth may be, it is a crime to take the law into our own hands and attack a citizen. Mob justice cannot be justified and The Logical Indian hopes that speedy probe takes place around this incident and the perpetrators are brought to justice before a further escalation of the issue.