Pregnant cow beheaded, calf mutilated in Karnataka; Siddaramaiah govt orders inquiry

Miscreants beheaded a pregnant cow, cut off its legs and mutilated its calf in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, sources said on Monday.

They took away the cow's body and left behind its head and legs, and the calf.

According to the police, the incident occurred at Kondakuli, Salkodu village in Honnavara Taluk of Uttara Kannada district.

They said the cow belonged to Krishna Achari, who had left the animal for grazing on Sunday.

On Monday, when Achari went searching for the cow, he found its head, legs and the mutilated body of the calf, they said.

Police registered a case against unknown miscreants under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and started an investigation.

This comes close on the heels of severing the udders of three cows in Chamarajpet in Bengaluru and injuring the tail of a cow in the temple town of Nanjangud in Mysuru.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara ordered an inquiry into the incidents of attack on cows with the BJP and Hindu organisations raising their concerns over it.

"We have to find a solution to this. This morning I gave instructions that we have to take this seriously and we have to identify people who have such a mindset," Parameshwara said.

He further said that he has ordered the police department to find out whether such people belong to any organisation, do it individually or is there any provocation behind it.

The BJP blamed the Congress government for being lenient towards the fanatic elements.

Party state president B Y VIjayendra said the Honnavara incident has made everyone hang their head in shame. "Yet, the Home Minister is pretending that the law and order situation is good here. The Siddaramaiah government is showing a soft corner for these anti-nationals, who have no fear. The state government and the Home Minister should have woken up by now," he stated.

Alleging that the law and order is deteriorating, he said a "communal atmosphere" is being created in the state.