Bhatkal: In a strange turn of events, two trucks carrying cattle (cows) that reportedly belong to a BJP leader were waylaid and their drivers and cleaners mercilessly thrashed by self-styled Gau Rakshaks who also let the cattle loose. The incident occurred on the night of May 20, 2018 on the Murdeshwar National Highway in  Bhatkal taluk. The assailants not only beat up the driver and the cleaner, but also damaged the truck in which they were being carried. 

According to Kalu bhai a truck driver who was among those assaulted, two trucks had left Gujrat on 15th May towards Kerala with 13 cows and 13 calves. When they were driving on NH 66 in Murdeshwar, a mob of around 300 self styled Gau Rakshaks stopped their vehicles and started beating the drivers and cleaners mercilessly. "We tried to tell them that all the cows were being taken to a dairy farm in Kochi, Kerala, and that we have all proper and clear documents, but they didnt listen us any thing" the driver lamented.

Continuing the narration of their ordeal, he said, "When police came to rescue us, they also attacked the police personnel." He further said that if the police had not arrived to rescue them immeidately then they would have been killed by the Gau Rakshaks. His body wore the marks of the heavy beating he got with hands and stones.

It is said that the Police had to order a mild lathi charge to disperse the mob and bring the situation under control. Additional police force was also deployed in Murdeshwar to ensure peace.

Sources said that the self-styled Gau Rakshaks attacked the trucks thinking that the cattle were being transported to Bhatkal for consumption, however they were actually being taken to a dairy in Kerala.

The police informed that they have arrested 11 people among the self-styled Gau Rakshaks and have filed cases against more than 13 peope under section 341, 323, 324, 395 and IPC 427.