No arrests yet over 'lynching'; victim 'suffered no external injuries'

Police await autopsy report, vow to hunt down Puneeth Kerehalli

Idrees Pasha, a goods vehicle driver found dead last week after being attacked by cow vigilantes, had no external injuries, according to police.

Police have registered three FIRs in the case and are awaiting the post-mortem report to determine the cause of death. They are hunting for Puneeth Kerehalli, a Hindutva activist, and four of his associates allegedly involved in the case.

Pasha, 39, was found dead in a grove in Sathanur, about 60 km southwest of Bengaluru, around 8.30 am on April 1. He lay on his stomach with both legs curled up. There was a stone in his hand, police say.

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The night before, Idrees and two others were stopped and attacked by cow vigilantes led by Kerehalli at Santemala Circle, 100 metres from the Sathanur police station. The trio was transporting buffaloes in a Canter and headed to Tamil Nadu to sell them at a cattle market. The cow vigilantes accused them of cow slaughter and asked them to go to Pakistan, according to one of the three FIRs.

Cops say Kerehalli committed a blunder by taking the law into his own hands and not reporting the matter to the police station immediately.

"We have taken the case seriously and will do what is necessary," a senior officer said. Kerehalli already faces many criminal cases, he added.

B R Ravikanthe Gowda, Inspector General of Police (Central), visited the crime scene and the Sathanur police station on Monday. He ordered his men to nab Kerehalli and other suspects as soon as possible. Separately, Gowda met Idrees' family and local Muslim leaders, and promised action.

What's there in the FIRs?

The first FIR was filed around 1 am on April 1 based on a complaint from Kerehalli himself. It invoked sections of the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Transportation of Animals Act. Zaheer and others were named in the FIR.

As per the FIR, Kerehalli and his friends were travelling to Mysuru when they saw a speeding container truck (KA 11/A 405) in Sathanur around 11.40 pm on March 31. They chased it down near Santhemala Circle. Two men fled as soon as they saw Kerehalli but the third man (Zaheer) was caught. He was made to open the truck containing 16 animals and handed over to the police.

The second FIR was filed around 5.30 am on April 1 based on Zaheer's complaint. Zaheer was injured after being attacked by Kerehalli and four of his men.

The third FIR was filed around 4 pm based on a complaint from Idrees's younger brother, Younus Pasha. Police booked Kerehalli and his men for murder based on this FIR. Yunus says Kerehalli and his men accused Idrees, Zaheer and Irfan of cow slaughter and asked them to go to Pakistan. They demanded Rs 2 lakh to release them. When the demand wasn't met, Kerehalli and his team chased down Idrees and killed him. This FIR is based on Zaheer's account of the events.

Truth of the viral video

A viral video that shows Kerehalli talking about a stun gun is from another incident that happened near Electronics City in the past, police say.