BENGALURU: West division police reportedly seized 90 cartons of meat that is said to have come by train from Rajasthan. The meat was seized at the Okalipuram entrance of KSR Railway Station. Though it was said it was either sheep or goat meat, cow vigilante Puneeth Kerehalli and his associates expressed doubts, suspecting it to be dog meat.
With the situation going out of control, Kerehalli and the others were taken into custody by the jurisdictional Cottonpet police around 9.30pm Friday. A few mutton stall owners in the vicinity of Majestic said it was stale meat and dangerous to consume.
Rizwan Khureshi, a meat trader, told the media that he had complained to the authorities earlier. “It was brought to the notice of the BBMP commissioner and police, but no action was taken. Officials are aware of stale meat being sold to hotels and affecting the health of meat consumers,” Khureshi said. He said he is not sure if it was dog meat, and only a lab test could certify it.
Kerehalli told the media that every day, six tonnes of meat comes from Rajasthan. “The meat is then mixed with dog meat and sold in Russell Market and mutton shops. The stale meat, which is 75 to 80 hours old, is cleaned in vinegar to make it look fresh,” Kerehalli added.
Abdul Razaak, another meat trader who gets meat from Rajasthan, said he has been in the business for the past 12 years. “Everything is legal. The meat is kept in an ice box. We have FSSAI licence, trade licence and BBMP licence. We are getting the meat from Jaipur. The meat is tested and of good quality. The allegations are all fabricated. No illegal business is going on, I will explain in detail at a press conference,” Razaak added.
The meat that was seized was kept in cold storage. The authorities concerned also took samples of the meat and said the report will take 14 days.