Man beaten up by cow vigilantes in Udupi

In an incident that has belatedly come to light, a person who was transporting two cows, with valid documents, was allegedly beaten up by four persons belonging to a right-wing group at Gulvady village in Udupi district on Friday. Neelakantha, 44, from Holebenolli village near Tirthahalli in Shivamogga district had purchased two cows from Siddanna in Giliyar village. He was transporting the cows to Holebenolli around 5.45 a.m. when his vehicle was stopped by four persons on two motorcycles near Gulvady Bridge. In his complaint lodged on Monday, Mr. Neelakantha alleged that he was dragged out of the vehicle by Srinath Shetty and attacked with iron rods, while others beat him with their hands and threatened him. He was assaulted even as he showed a certificate from the veterinary doctor and permit from the gram panchayat to transport the cows, he said in the complaint. Mr. Neelakantha told The Hindu that later, he himself went to the police station in Kota where the police examined his documents and let him go with the cows. However, according to Srikanth K., Brahmavar circle police inspector, the group had taken Mr. Neelakantha to the Kota police station, where the police let him go with the cows as he had requisite documents. Mr. Neelakantha had at that point told the Kota police that he was not assaulted by anyone, he said. Mr. Neelakantha, who took ill, came to Kundapur on June 4 and got admitted to the Taluk Government Hospital. He also gave a complaint to the police on Monday stating that he was beaten by the group at Gulvady on June 2. “Mr. Neelakantha had not given any complaint on June 2. But now that he has given a complaint, we have registered a case at the Kota police station and are investigating,” said Mr. Srikanth. Mr. Neelakantha was discharged from the hospital in Kundapur on Monday afternoon.