KAKINADA: Tensions soared after people belonging to the upper castes bashed up two Dalits on the charges of killing their cows in Amalapuram of East Godavari district. However, it was later discovered that the cattle were safe and the cobblers were only removing the skin of a dead cow given away by its owner. The police have registered a case and are on the lookout for the accused.
With the rumours of ‘Gau Rakshaks’ attacking Dalits spreading in the district, the police were alert as less than 48 hours ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a call to curb the menace of fake ‘Gau Rakshaks’. The police learnt that the incident was a misunderstanding and had little to do with cow vigilantism or caste issues.
Three cows, belonging to R Gangadhara Rao, U Narayana Rao and B Venkatapathi Raju of Kamanagaruvu village in Amalapuram mandal, went missing two days ago. The latter viited the farm of Ch Sai Babu of Gandham Vari Palem (Samanasa village) and P ChandraRao of Madhurawada village. The duo took care of the three cows, but could not track them down.
Meanwhile, a nine-month pregnant cow, belonging to one Booragaayala Aravind, died due to electrocution on the outskirts of Sudaapalem village on Monday afternoon. Aravind asked a cobbler Mokaati Eleesha to take away the dead carcass. Even as Eleesha, along with his brother M Venkateswara Rao and friend S Lakshmana Rao started peeling off the skin from the dead cow, the owners of the three missing cows reached the spot.
Assuming that the cobblers had killed their cattle for skin, the farmers attacked the cobblers who were tied to coconut trees and thrashed indiscriminately. As the news spread villagers and police rushed to rescue the victims and the accused fled from the spot. The victims were sent to Government Area Hospital in Amalapuram.
“The Uppalguptam police registered cases against the accused under SC, ST Atrocities Abolition Amendment Act-2016 and our preliminary investigation revealed that it was a case of misunderstanding,” said Amalapuram DSP Ankaiah.