A court in Karnataka’s Kanakapura has remanded Hindutva activist Puneeth Kerahalli in police custody for seven days over the murder of Idress Pasha, a cattle transporter. Pasha was chased, beaten, and allegedly killed by a group of Hindutva extremists led by Puneeth, on March 31. Puneeth is also accused of assaulting Pasha's two associates, who were transporting cattle. Puneeth and his associates were arrested on April 5 in Rajasthan.
On the night of March 31, Idrees and his two others, Syed Zaheer (the driver) and Irfan were en route to Tamil Nadu via Ramanagara district with 16 cows in their van. They were stopped near Sathanur Circle, just 500 meters from the police station, around 11.30 pm. The self-proclaimed cow vigilantes, led by Hindutva leader Puneeth Kerehalli from Bengaluru, accused the trio of illegally transporting cattle and demanded they step out of the container. Three other vigilantes checked the container and found cattle inside. The entire incident was live-streamed on Puneeth's Facebook account. Seeing Zaheer restrained by Puneeth and others, Idrees and Irfan fled in different directions, fearing for their safety. Pasha’s body was found the next morning very close to the police station.
Puneeth and four others have been charged under Sections 302 (murder), 341 (wrongful restraint), and 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace) of the Indian Penal Code based on a complaint filed by Pasha's family.
Puneeth Kerehalli is the leader of a far-right Hindutva group called Raastra Rakshana Pade, which translates to "national security force." He is believed to have close ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party as pictures emerged of him with some top leaders in Karnataka.
Puneeth’s involvement in cow vigilantism is not limited to the murder of Idrees Pasha. Videos shared on his social media pages show him confronting cattle traders. In one such video posted just a few days before Pasha's murder, Puneeth can be seen using a stun gun on a cattle transporter named Aleemulla Baig. The video, which dates back to March 20, depicts Puneeth stopping a truck carrying cattle on the outskirts of Bengaluru. He has been booked for assault in this incident.