HYDERABAD: Police arrested seven persons in connection with the violent clash between cattle transporters and 'gaurakshaks' (cow vigilantes) at Karmanghat in Hyderabad.
A policeman suffered head injury in the incident.
In-charge DGP Anjani Kumar held a review meeting with city police commissioners.
Kumar warned that the miscreants that stringent legal action will be initiated against them including opening of history sheets.
The clash occurred at around 7.30pm on Tuesday near TKR Kaman in Meerpet when a group of gaurakshaks stopped a pickup van transporting five calves.
Mohammed Yousuf, 50, who runs a meat shop at Bhavani Nagar and his son Md Nissar, 19, who were transporting the cattle from Mall in Ibrahimpatnam to their shop, had an argument with gaurakshaks.
A scuffle ensued between Yousuf, Nissar and the gaurakshaks. During the scuffle, Lingamaiah, the pickup truck driver, suffered head injury.
Meanwhile, alerted by Yousuf and Nissar, their aides from nearby places reached the spot and chased the gaurakshaks into a nearby shrine.
"One of the gaurakshaks, K Mayuresh, 21, alleged that he and his associates suffered injuries in the assault by the cattle transporters," Rachakonda police said.
Meanwhile police rounded up the cattle transporters and seized the vehicle in which calves were being transported.
Based on the complaint of Mayuresh, a case was registered against, Yousuf, Mohammad Nissar, Mohammad Nawaz,
Mohammad Ghouse, Mohammad Ayub, Mohammad Mosin Kamal and Soudamoni Lingamaiah under sections 307, 295(A), 153(A), 427, 341, 147, 148 R/W 149 of the IPC and sections 11, 38(3) of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act by the Meerpet police.
"The seven accused were arrested and sent to judicial remand. They are currently lodged in Cherlapally prison. The calves were handed over to Yuga Tulasi Foundation gaushala in Abdullapurmet," police commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat said.
The pickup van driver also lodged a complaint with Meerpet police and a case has been registered under sections 324 and 341 of the IPC. However, no arrests have been made as yet.
Subsequently after the incident, hundreds of people gathered at the Karmanghat shrine protesting against people from other community entering the shrine premises and assaulting gorakshaks.
The agitators protested on Karmanghat main road and when police tried to clear the mob, they started pelting stones. Sub inspector Madhava Reddy suffered a serious head injury in the stone pelting, the police commissioner said.
The protesters also damaged two police patrolling vehicles.
Later, police registered three more cases against the protesters.