Ramanagara lynching: HDK calls for arrests

NT Correspondent

Ramanagara

JD(S) legislature party leader HD Kumaraswamy has come down heavily at the BJP State government over “breakdown of law and order”, citing the lynching of a Muslim cattle trader and called for the arrest of the accused. The former chief minister was referring to the lynching of Mandya district native Idrees Pasha and the assault of his two compatriots near Satanur village of Kanakpura taluk in Ramanagara district on Saturday afternoon.

Selfstyled cow vigilante Puneeth Kerehalli and four others have been charged in the case and are currently on the run. The accused allegedly waylaid Pasha and accused him of illegally transporting cattle. Upon this, the victim produced documents proving that he had purchased cattle from a local market. Kerehalli then allegedly abused Pasha and demanded that he pay Rs 2 lakh to be released.

Following this, family members of Pasha claim he was chased and assaulted, which led to his death. “On the night of the youth’s murder, the accused and his compatriots made a video of them guarding the road with cricket bats, pretending to be cow protectors and uploaded it on social media. It is clear that their intention was clear. What more proof do you want? The police should arrest the accused immediately,” Kumaraswamy said. “The reason for this is the BJP government systematically nurturing impatience and intolerance,” he added.