Hyderabad: In complete contrast to claims by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) that a ‘gau rakshak’ was injured by cattle transporters, the Uppal police here said that the incident, which transpired on July 4, was nothing but a mere road accident. Even the complainant claimed the same, stated a police official.
On Sunday (July 4), the VHP, in a press note, claimed that a man who is supposedly a ‘gau rakshak’ was “run over” by cattle traders or smugglers while transporting animals. The right-wing organisation alleged that cows being transported and when Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (B.J.Y.M) member Sanjay tried to stop them, he was “run over”.
“Sanjay was harmed just for attempting to negotiate with them,” claimed VHP convener Sajjan Kailash. He added that the Telangana government and police do not care about the issue at all. “The VHP views it as its duty to protect the sentiments of the Hindu community,” Kailsh stated, and further alleged that Sanjay and his colleagues tried to call the Uppal Police to prevent the transportation of cows, but that they received no response.
However, when contacted, an official from the Uppal police station, who did not want to be quoted, dismissed the VHP’s claims and said that Sanjay was injured in a road accident. He told Siasat.com that there was no truth to the allegations of cattle being transported. It is also unclear how the person in question Sanjay was injured. However, it is a fact he suffered serious injuries, and is undergoing treatment at Yashoda Hospital.
As a continuation of yesterday’s events, VHP state president and others met Malkajgiri Assistant Commissioner of Police N. Shyam Prasad Rao and enquired as to why the site of the accident was not inspected by the Uppal police. They also demanded swift arrests of the accused and reiterated their decision to call for a statewide agitation.
It may be recalled that last week a delegation from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) met Telangana director general of police (DGP) M. Mahender Reddy and demanded him to strictly stop the supposed illegal transportation and slaughtering of cattle, other than cows (as slaughter of cows in prohibited in Telangana).
The VHP also asked the DGP to set up check posts and monitor the city’s borders on account of Bakri Eid approaching. Its demands from the police came about three weeks before Bakri Eid is to be celebrated by Muslims in Telangana and Hyderabad, and less than a week after AIMIM president and Hyderabad Lok Sabha member of Parliament asked DGP Mahender Reddy to ensure that the police does not harass animal traders.