A man was arrested late Sunday night for allegedly mutilating three cows in Chamrajpet. The incident, which occurred in the Old Pension Mohalla, has sparked significant political controversy as BJP leaders accuse state minister Zameer Ahmed Khan of being indirectly responsible.
According to Cottonpet Police Inspector Yerri Swamy, the accused, Seyyed Nasru (30), was arrested after the police reviewed CCTV footage from the area. Nasru, originally from Champaran, Bihar, confessed to the crime during his interrogation, claiming that he was under the influence of alcohol at the time. The cows were reportedly attacked with sickles around 3 a.m., leaving bloodstains on the street before the culprits fled the scene. The injured animals were rushed to the Chamarajpet Government Veterinary Hospital for treatment.
Nasru, who worked at a nearby plastic and garment shop, has been charged under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). He was presented before a judge and remanded to judicial custody until January 24.
Karna, the owner of the mutilated cows, expressed frustration with the police’s investigation, suggesting that there may have been other individuals involved in the crime. “How could someone under the influence of alcohol target a cow that provided more milk?” Karna questioned. He believes that Nasru may not have acted alone and that the investigation should focus on those who might have instigated or assisted in the attack.
The incident has drawn sharp political reactions, with BJP leader and former Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao accusing Zameer Ahmed Khan, the state’s Minister for Animal Husbandry, of being indirectly responsible. Rao suggested that the cow mutilation was part of a broader conspiracy to affect the Hindu population in the area.
“Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan is directly responsible for the cow mutilation incident in Chamrajpet,” Rao claimed. “This is part of a conspiracy to drive away the dwindling Hindu population.” He also accused the government of being lax on drug trafficking in the region and called for more stringent action.
The Congress Party dismissed the allegations, calling them baseless. KPCC spokesperson M Lakshman criticized the BJP for politicizing the issue because the accused is from a minority community. “The CM has instructed officers to take stringent action. Congress respects cattle and the law,” he said. Lakshman also took aim at the BJP’s leadership, questioning why they are not addressing serious issues like the increase in rapes and murders in Uttar Pradesh.
Zameer Ahmed Khan condemned the act, calling the hatred towards animals “intolerable” and promising strict punishment for the perpetrators. Khan assured support to the victims, offering to provide three new cows to Karna’s family as a gesture of goodwill. “The CM and I have taken this issue seriously, and immediate action will follow,” Khan said in a statement.
As the investigation continues, it is clear that the cow mutilation case in Chamrajpet is not just a matter of animal cruelty, but one that has ignited fierce political debate in Karnataka.
