Karmanghat violence: Gau rakshaks stage protest at Balapur

Hyderabad: Two days after a clash broke out between cattle transporters and gau rakshaks, close to 100 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members and self-styled gau rakshaks (cow protectors) protested against the ruling TRS government at the Balapur cross road on Thursday morning.

Chanting slogans of ”Jai Shree Ram” and ”Jai Gau Mata”, the BJP members condemned the ”attack” on gau rakshaks in a clash between them and cattle transporters that took place at Karmanghat on February 21. ”The ruling TRS is in cahoots is with the AIMIM. (Chief minister) KCR needs to decide if he is a minority or a majority (Hindu) leader,” said senior BJP leader Kollan Shankar Reddy, who was protesting along with the others.

Two days ago, after the clashes took place between both groups, VHP and other right-wing Hindu groups took to the streets on the same night and even pelted stones on the police which came to disperse the crowd at Karmanghat. A sub-inspector of police from the Vanasthalipuram police station was injured, and two police cars were also damaged, after which a total of five cases were booked with the Meerpet and Saroornagar police stations in the Rachakonda commissionerate.

The Telangana police arrested seven individuals who have been accused of rioting and illegal transportation of cattle which created communal tensions in Karmanghat. The sub-inspector, Madhava Reddy, is currently undergoing treatment after he sustained grievous injuries on his dead.

Reddy was injured during a protest by right-wing vigilantes, who had staged a dharna against cattle transporters in Karmanghat. According to the police, the right-wing vigilantes stopped a vehicle transporting cattle and were in turn beaten up in Karmanghat by the group of cattle traders.

They allegedly rushed into a nearby Hanuman temple to seek protection. The incident worsened after both parties started pelting stones at each other, after which the police stepped in and brought in additional forces to get the situation under control. However, it may be noted that cow protection vigilantes have no business stopping any one, and can only inform cops if they stp any thing, a senior police told Siasat.com.