Cow Vigilante Booked Under Goonda Act in Karnataka

BENGALURU: The Central Crime Branch sleuths of Bengaluru city detained cow vigilante Puneet Kerehalli (32), a resident of J.P. Nagar in Bengaluru city, after he was booked under Karnataka Goonda Act on Friday and the detained Puneet has been sent to Central Prison in Bengaluru city on Saturday.

After scrutiny, the Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru city B. Dayanand okayed the detention order on a report from the sleuths of CCB to bring Puneet under Karnataka Goonda Act in order to prevent him from indulging in anti-social activities. Puneet is native to Alur taluk of Hassan district and shifted to Bengaluru city when he was a child.

According to police, Puneet Kerehalli had formed ‘Rastra Rakshana Pade’ (Nation Protection Force). He and his associates were allegedly involved in several criminal activities spread in the districts of Mandya, Bengaluru city and surrounding areas. Puneet faced charges such as attack on police officers on duty, caste abuse, murder, extortion among others and in all he had 10 cases booked against him.  

Police said Puneet through his ‘Rastra Rakshana Pade’ targeted cattle traders threatening the traders thereby committing breach of peace and communal harmony and in the last 10 years Puneet faced cases in D.J. Halli police station, Begur Police station, Kaggalipura police station, Hampi tourism police station and others.

Since Puneet was constantly involved in stirring communal harmony and indulging in anti-social activities, sleuths of CCB had submitted a report to bring him under Karnataka Goonda Act, the police said.