The Badami police arrested 10 people on charges of cow slaughter on Saturday.
According to the police, eight to nine cows were slaughtered on the eve of the Bakrid on the outskirts of Badami taluk in Bagalkot.
A video of a man, said to be the main suspect, tied to a tree went viral on social networking sites. While there are claims that he was thrashed before being handed over to the police, senior police officials confirmed to DH that he was not beaten. "He was just tied to a tree to prevent him from escaping," said a police source who did not wish to be named.
Six of the 10 arrested are Muslims, while four are SCs.
Members of a right-wing group demanded stringent action against the suspects and demanded that the state government refrain from withdrawing the Anti-Cow Slaughter Act.
Former MLA Veeranna Charanathimath accused the police of being silent spectators to the slaughter. "The police, during the peace meeting had warned against slaughtering cows on the eve of Bakrid. However, in spite of their warning, nearly 10 cows were slaughtered and its meat sold. This shows people are not afraid of law in the district," he said.
Bagalkot superintendent of police Jayaprakash told DH that all the 10 suspects were booked under provisions of the Anti-Cow Slaughter Act.