Hindu Munnani to move High Court against Sessions Court order
As many as 37 cattle heads, rescued when they were allegedly being transported in cruel conditions and handed over to a charitable sanctuary in March last were forcibly herded out by a mob here on Tuesday.
The mob stormed into the farm maintained by Arunachala Animal Sanctuary and Rescue Shelter (AASRS) in Perumbakkam Road here and took away the cattle a day after district sessions court gave judgment confirming magistrate court’s order to give back cattle to the owners.
Hindu Munnani cadres led by its district president Shankar intercepted a lorry transporting 39 cattle heads near Tirukkoilur Bypass Road on March 15 and handed them over to police. Two of those cattle heads were dead meanwhile and police handed over the remaining 37 cattle heads to AASRS, founded by Leslie Robinson, a US national, for maintenance.
R. Rajasekar, veterinarian of AASRS told The Hindu , “Owners of the cattle heads approached the Judicial Magistrate Court here. The court issued an order on March 17 to give back the cattle to the owners. On receiving the orders police approached us immediately to get back the cattle heads. However we refused to give back and wanted proof of ownership of cattle, certificate for the purpose of transportation etc. and said that we are going to file an appeal petition in district sessions court. Hindu Munnani district president Shankar filed an appeal but the district court said to have confirmed the magistrate court’s judgment on June 29 but we have not received a copy of the judgment. Police rang us on the same day but we said we are not going to give back cattle heads and said that we’ll appeal in the High Court. The mob took away the cattle very next day”.
“A huge mob stormed into the farm and pushed people who tried to prevent them and herded out the cattle heads and disappeared. We immediately gave a complaint with the Tiruvannamalai taluk police. We’ll also appeal against the District Sessions Court order in the High Court,” said Leslie Robinson.
FIR registered
When asked about it, Mohammed Ibrahim, Sub Inspector of Police, Tiruvannamalai Taluk police station, said that a first information report was booked immediately after receiving complaint from the AASRS and they were investigating into the incident. Hindu Munnani district president Shankar also said that he would file an appeal against the District Sessions Court order.
“A huge mob stormed into the farm and pushed people who tried to prevent them and herded out the cattle heads and disappeared. We immediately gave a complaint police”