Cattle trader alleges police brutality

Mangalore, Aug 6: In the anger, volatility and hysterics surrounding the numerous thefts of cattle from the outskirts of the city, a traditional cattle trader, from a minority community, has been caught in the crossfire.

He narrates the alleged police brutality – where he was thrashed with a lathi and his toe nails removed with cutting pliers – and the persistent harassment that has led him to give up his trade. Even 10 days after the arrest and assault, the scars on the arms, legs are still visible. The two toes from which nails were removed are still swollen.

At 3 a.m., Riyaz (name changed to protect identity), whose family are cattle traders in Krishnapur near Surathkal, was picked up by Panambur police at Jokatte where he was meeting a customer. The police, who had set up a bandobast there, said they had “information” that he had been involved in the thefts.

He alleged that the police resorted to the lathi almost immediately during the interrogation. “They struck me with a lathi on my arms, legs and back. I told them repeatedly that I didn't know anything. After one hour of asking questions, abusing me and assaulting me, they took out two of my toe nails with a cutting plier,” he alleged.

Riyaz even added that the police took Rs. 36,000 that was with him, and gave it to a Muslim woman in the station in the “spirit of Ramadan”.

Eventually, he was booked for “suspicious behaviour” (Section 96 of the Karnataka Police Act) and let go on bail.

Previous arrest

This was not first time the same set of Panambur police officials had arrested him on the same charges. In the first week of May, as the police tightened security before the elections, his vehicle was seized at Mulki around 9 p.m. on the charges of “cattle smuggling”.

He spent two days in lock up-facing intense interrogation- and with no proof to back the accusations, the police charged him for “suspicious behaviour”.

He believes that with cattle thefts translating into local outrage, right-wing Hindu groups in the area have used the opportunity to clamp down on legitimate cattle traders in the region. Since the arrests, Riyaz says he has discontinued his business. “My family knows no other trade. We have licenses, but we are not allowed to trade without hassle,” he said.

Inspector G. Bharathi of the station refuted allegations of brutality, but admitted that he had been arrested for “suspicious behaviour”. She said, “We have a set of procedures to follow, and we followed that. We did not beat up or assault him in any way. If he has a complaint, he should register it with higher authorities,” she said.