Karnataka: Muslim Halal Meat Vendor Attacked By Bajrang Dal Members, Case Filed

Shivamogga: Day after Karnataka Chief Minister Basvaraj Bommai had said his government will look into “serious objection” raised against meat vendor, some Bajrang Dal activists allegedly attacked a Muslim vendor in Bhadravathi on Thursday, police said.

Shivamogga Superintendent of Police (SP) BM Laxmi Prasad told ANI that an FIR has been registered under relevant sections.

“Bajrang Dal activists argued and then attacked a Muslim vendor. An FIR has been registered at Hosamane police station in Bhadravati,” the Shivamogga SP said.

Police said that some Bajrang Dal activists around 12.30 pm on Wednesday were campaigning in the Hosamane area against ‘halal’ meat. They allegedly threatened Muslim meat vendor Thousif.

According to the complaint with the police, the activists asked him to sell ‘non-halal’ meat at his chicken shop. He told them that such meat was not ready and he would arrange it. Irked by it, the activists allegedly thrashed him. Following a complaint, cops have started a probe and interrogated five right-wing activists, the police said.

In a separate instance in the communally charged Shivamogga area, police charged the same Bajrang Dal militants with threatening and harassing a hotelier in Old Bhadravati for refusing to serve them ‘non-halal’ meat. On charges of abusing the hotelier, a complaint has been filed.

Mr Bommai on Wednesday said that the state government will look into ‘halal’ meat issue as “serious objections” have now been raised against it.

“The halal issue has just started. We have to study it. It’s a practice that is going on. Now serious objections have been raised about it. I will look into it,” Mr Bommai said at a press conference.

Asked about the call for boycott of halal meat by some right-wing organizations, Mr Bommai said, “As far as my government is concerned, we are not right-wing or left-wing, only growth wing.”