Is beef politics stalking state?

Bengaluru: Is Karnataka the next target of murderous beef politics, which is escalating to become the single biggest threat to communal harmony and internal security in the country? The State, according to sources has been on alert regarding cattle movement and transport since last month; much before Eid ul Adha (Bakrid) and the tension is now palpable in Coastal Karnataka following the murder of Bajrang Dal member and anti-cow slaughter activist Prashanth Poojary’s in Moodbidri on October 9, said a source.

Even as the State police and Criminal Investigation Department are probing the Prof M.M. Kalburgi assassination case, which is allegedly a “pre-meditated” murder and an act of organised crime by a yet-to-be verified fringe Right wing group, the recent arrests made by Mangaluru police in the cold blooded murder of Poojary reportedly confirm the dangerous trend towards deepening polarization in the State.

Mangaluru police have so far arrested eight accused, who are allegedly behind Poojary’s broad daylight murder in Moodbidri town. The first batch of four accused – Rashid, Hanif, Mohammed Ilyas and Ibrahim were arrested in Udupi on October 18. Today the police arrested the alleged “core” killers of Poojary – Sharief, Mustafa, Kabeer and another person by the name of Mustafa from across Mangaluru.

“The accused are aged between 25 and 40 years and have links with an organisation, which projects itself as socially committed to the minorities and backward classes,” said the officer. The accused have reportedly told the police that they targeted Poojary for his alleged anti-cow slaughter activism. Poojary, a flower vendor near Moodbidri bus stand, used to keep an eye on cattle transport. This had reportedly infuriated the accused. “Six of them had come on three bikes with three choppers at around 7.15 am on October 9. They walked up to Poojary’s shop and hacked him with the choppers,” the officer added.