Firing at cow vigilante triggers tension in Telangana

Three people allegedly involved in the incident arrested; Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar says the main accused has links with AIMIM

Hyderabad: A firing incident involving a cow vigilante and member of the Gau Raksha Dal has sparked off political tensions in Telangana.

Prashanth Singh, also known as Sonu Singh, a resident of Ghatkesar on Hyderabad's outskirts, reportedly received information about cattle smuggling in a DCM vehicle and intercepted it on Wednesday night.

Ibrahim, the alleged cattle transporter, allegedly shot Sonu with a country-made pistol. Sonu sustained injuries, while Ibrahim and his accomplices fled the scene. Following the incident, BJP workers, led by the party’s State president N Ramachander Rao, attempted to lay siege to the DGP office but were taken into custody on Thursday.

Top BJP leaders, including Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar and Rajya Sabha member K Laxman, visited Sonu Singh, who is undergoing treatment at a corporate hospital in Hyderabad. The police formed special teams and apprehended three people involved in the incident.

Bandi Sanjay Kumar questioned how Ibrahim managed to obtain a firearm and alleged that he has links with the AIMIM and is involved in cattle smuggling.

According to the Rachakonda police, Sonu was called to the location by a friend, where he met the other accused, and they discussed for about an hour. The accused confronted him for exposing their illegal cattle transportation, and during the ensuing argument, the prime accused retrieved a gun from his car and allegedly shot at Sonu in the right side of the chest before all fled the scene.

Upon receiving information, the police rushed to the scene and shifted the injured to a hospital. A surgery was conducted, and a bullet was retrieved from Sonu's body. His condition is reported to be stable, the police said.

“The police found the accused and the victim had been in regular contact since July this year and had met multiple times,” said Rachakonda Police Commissioner G Sudheer Babu.

The investigation revealed the motive as retaliation by the cattle transporter on Sonu for allegedly causing an estimated loss of Rs 1 crore by intercepting his vehicles. It was also found that there was a potential conflict arising from Sonu’s alleged demand for Rs 5 lakh to cease his activities, the police said.

Special teams were formed, and three out of the four accused were arrested at Shamshabad on Thursday, while another accused is absconding. The police seized a country-made pistol and a car from the accused. Arrested three included– Ibrahim Qureshi (main accused), Kuruva Srinivas who arranged the meeting on Wednesday night and Hassanbin Mosin, a cattle trader. Another accused named Mohammed Haneef is currently absconding.

“Cows are being moved for illegal slaughter. I strongly condemn the shooting of Prashanth Singh, who has been continuously working to protect cows as a righteous duty, targeted by MIM party goons. This is a wicked act. As the government and the police have failed to do their duty, Bajrang Dal activists carrying out lawful cow protection are being attacked and killed. In the past, they even tried to run over a man named Sanjay with cars to kill him,” said Bandi Sanjay Kumar after visiting Sonu at the hospital.

He added that merely saying cows would be moved to gaushalas was insufficient; the cow protection law must be enforced and demonstrated in practice. “Branding those who protect cows as criminals while protecting the attackers is wicked. Allegations that Sonu demanded Rs 5 lakh are vicious. Claiming that Ibrahim's business suffered a loss of Rs 1 crore is shameful. It’s wicked to defend the accused without condemning cow slaughter and without explaining where the gun came from. Is this the role of the government?” the Union Minister asked.