Bhatkal: Three individuals arrested in connection with cattle theft have been sent to Karwar Central Jail after being remanded to judicial custody following their appearance at the Bhatkal JMFC court on Tuesday morning.
The arrests were made in connection with a recent incident of cattle theft in the Jali Pattan Panchayat area, which was captured on CCTV and went viral on social media, sparking widespread public outrage.
Of the three individuals, Jaleel Hussain (39) and Mohammed Hanif (27) were arrested in Bhatkal, while Jabbar Hussain Beary (37) was arrested from Padubidri, in the neighboring Udupi district.
The police have also confiscated the vehicle believed to have been used to transport the stolen cattle.
The incident occurred around 3:00 a.m. between Thursday and Friday, when a calf was reportedly stolen and loaded into a car by masked individuals who fled the scene. CCTV footage of the incident was widely circulated on social media, intensifying public demand for action. Local residents, supported by members of Hindu organizations, lodged complaints at the police station, protesting that despite repeated instances of cattle theft, the police had failed to take effective action. The complainants alleged that the stolen cattle were being slaughtered and sold illegally.
In response to growing concerns, the local social organization Majlis-e-Islah-o-Tanzeem called on authorities to take swift action against the cattle thieves and implement strict legal measures. In a press release, the organization also emphasized that the consumption of meat from stolen animals is strictly prohibited in Islam.
The investigation, conducted under the supervision of Uttara Kannada Superintendent of Police Mr. M. Narayan, Additional SP Mr. Jay Kumar, and Bhatkal DySP Mr. Mahesh, has made significant progress. Police Inspector Mr. Gopi Krishna and PSI Mr. Sumanth Rathod, who are leading the inquiry, successfully apprehended the three suspects involved in the cattle theft.
The police are now investigating whether the suspects were involved in previous incidents of cattle theft and are working to identify the buyers and locations where the stolen animals were sold.