Seven people were arrested and five vehicles seized on Sunday for transporting 'beef' (buffalo meat) from Hindupur in Andhra Pradesh to Bengaluru, a police officer said.

Along with the seven people, 14 members of Sri Ram Sene who had burnt a car belonging to the accused were also arrested.

The Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020, passed by the previous BJP government in the state, designates cattle as “cow, calf of a cow and bull, bullock and he or she buffalo”, stating that their slaughter is banned.

Under the earlier 1964 Act, only the killing of “any cow or calf of she-buffalo” was banned, whereas the 2020 law does not permit the slaughter of "bullocks, and male or female buffaloes" as well. The Congress had said that it would repeal the 2020 law once it comes to power, but there is no movement in that regard now that the party is in government.

According to Bengaluru Rural SP Mallikarjun Baladandi, the incident happened around 5.45 am.

The Sri Ram Sene members intercepted five mini trucks and a car carrying beef from Hindupur to Bengaluru at Doddaballapura, Baladandi said.

The angry workers of the Hindutva outfit set the car on fire and assaulted the persons transporting the meat. As soon as the police got the information, they rushed to the spot and secured the seven persons.

“We have registered two cases in this regard. One is under the Cow Slaughter Act and another one against the Sri Ram Sene workers for destroying the car, and assaulting the transporters. So we have arrested 21 people – seven are the meat transporters and 14 are the members of Sriram Sene,” the SP said.

Five of the meat transporters hail from Hindupur, while the two others are from Gauribidanur. Further investigation is underway to get more leads and names on the people who supported the illegal transportation of the cattle, the officer said.

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