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Police notice to cow vigilante, name to be added to crime list
Amid crackdown on cow vigilantism in state, Bengaluru police takes action against Punith Kerehalli, a cow vigilante who has been allegedly involved in criminal activities
Days after a senior Karnataka minister asked the police to crack down on cattle vigilantism in the state, Bengaluru police have taken action against Puneeth Kerehalli, a cow vigilante and right-wing activist, by issuing a notice for his inclusion in the list of people involved in criminal activities in Karnataka.
Kerehalli (35), has been allegedly involved in at least six crimes in the state since 2021, including murder, assault, and criminal intimidation. One of the recent cases involved the death of a 39-year-old cattle transporter named Idrees Pasha who was attacked by Kerehalli and his associates in the Ramanagara region, bordering Bengaluru.
“The west division of Bengaluru issued the notice to Kerehalli on June 26, based on a police report highlighting his involvement in multiple cases. They have requested a response from him regarding his inclusion in the list of miscreants,” said a senior police officer.
Karnataka rural development and panchayat raj minister Priyank Kharge on June 22 urged law enforcement officials to strictly enforce laws pertaining to cow vigilantism and livestock transportation.
While addressing police officials of Kalburgi district Kharge said, “All PSIs and DSPs, please listen. People who engage in cow vigilantism, claiming association with various groups, are often unaware of the challenges faced by farmers. If anyone takes the law into their own hands, claiming allegiance to a particular group, they should be apprehended and prosecuted. The law is clear.”
Among the incidents cited by the Bengaluru police are two cases registered in Sathnur, Ramanagara, where Kerehalli and his associates assaulted Pasha and two others on March 31. Kerehalli, who leads an organization called ‘Rashtra Rakshana Pade’ (Nation Protection Army), was on the run after being accused of killing Idrees Pasha in Ramanagara district on March 31. The alleged motive behind the attack was suspicion of illegal cattle transportation.
According to the first information report (FIR) filed by the victim’s family at Sathanur police station, the incident involving Idrees and his associates occurred around 11:45 PM on March 31. They were transporting 16 cattle to Tamil Nadu when Kerehalli and his associates stopped their vehicle, accusing them of illegal cattle transportation. Kerehalli demanded a sum of ₹2 lakh for their release, but since the money had already been spent on purchasing the cattle, they couldn’t comply. As a result, Kerehalli verbally abused them and instructed them to go to Pakistan. When the attack began, two of the victims managed to escape, but Idrees was killed. The following morning, local residents discovered his body near the police station.
Ramanagaram police in the charge sheet stated that Kerehalli and his associates were apprehended in Rajasthan’s Banswara. After the accused went missing, the Karnataka police formed four special teams to track them down. Kerehalli evaded capture by moving through various districts and states, including Hubballi, Belagavi, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. Eventually, they were traced to Banswara in Rajasthan with the help of the Gujarat and Rajasthan police.
In another case related to cow vigilantism, Kerehalli is accused of stopping a transporter named Aleemulla Baig on March 20 in the Electronic City police jurisdiction of Bengaluru, alleging illegal cattle transport. Baig filed a complaint stating that Kerehalli and his associates stopped his vehicle on Hosur Road, where they assaulted him and the driver, using a stun gun to administer electric shocks. The torture lasted for nearly an hour, during which Kerehalli and his associates verbally abused Baig, claiming that they would administer punishment since the police wouldn’t.
