Sri Ram Sene has alleged that five of its activists were assaulted by some persons at Ingali village near Hukkeri in Belagavi district on June 26, 2025, for trying to stop illegal cattle transport. However, police have dismissed the claim.

SRS leader Vithal Gaddi told reporters in Belagavi on Sunday (June 29, 2025) that five of their activists, including Maruti Bennadi and Ajit Raniknavar were beaten up by people suspected to be cattle traders. The five youth were tied to a tree and thrashed mercilessly, he said. He alleged that the police were not taking action against the offenders.

One-sided story

The police, however, dismissed the claim as far from truth. “Some TV channels and portals carried the SRS version of the story. However, it is one-sided. What happened in the village is a very unfortunate incident but a few media channels have been misguided and are reporting one side of the story,” SP Bheemashankar S. Guled said.

“The youth refused to give a written complain against their attackers. They have given letters saying that they had no complaint against anyone. But today, some SRS leaders have told reporters that they were beaten up for trying to stop illegal cattle transport. There are allegations that there was criminal trespass and an issue of women’s self-respect. The cattle transport story is being used by a few to mislead and misguide,” the SP said.

No complaint by victims

The police registered a case against the accused after a video of the incident surfaced on social media. Mr. Guled said that the youth were assaulted by members of various communities and not just Muslims.

Another police officer said that SRS activists had given two letters to the police in Yamakanamaradi police station, saying that they had no complaint against anyone. “If there was illegal cattle transport and the youth were trying to save the cattle, why did they give this statement?” the officer said.

Letters by Sene leaders

The letter signed by Mr. Bennadi says that a group of youth followed a goods tractor in which Babasab Multani was ferrying six cows and calves on June 26. “They suspected that he was illegally transporting them to a slaughter house. They chased his vehicle to the village, where they got into a fight with another group. However, they had no grudge or complaint against anyone,” the letter read.

Another letter by SRS leader Shivaraj Naik says that he was in the vehicle that chased Mr. Multani’s vehicle. “We chased it till Ingali village. But when we realised that he was taking the cattle for rearing, we came back,” the letter said.

“However, villagers have alleged that the youth had trespassed into their houses and tried to harass some women. That is why they were tied to a coconut tree and beaten up,” another officer said.