Bengaluru: The meat delivered to Bengaluru from Rajasthan via train has been confirmed as mutton, not dog meat, according to an analysis report by the Hyderabad-based ICAR-National Meat Research Institute on Wednesday.

On the evening of July 26, officials, including area inspectors and Food Safety officers, visited the KSR Railway station at Majestic in Bengaluru to investigate a consignment of meat delivered from Rajasthan by train. They found the parcels, totaling 84, loaded onto a transport vehicle outside the railway station.

Upon inspection, the officials discovered the parcels contained meat and collected samples to verify the species. The samples were sent to the ICAR-National Meat Research Institute in Hyderabad for analysis. The institute confirmed the samples were mutton, according to a press release from the Commissioner of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.

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The incident attracted significant attention and condemnation due to the involvement of Puneeth Kerehalli, a self-proclaimed cow vigilante and repeat offender. Kerehalli had intercepted the parcels being transported by city-based meat trader Abdul Razak, claiming they contained dog meat being sold as mutton.

Razak refuted Kerehalli's claims, accusing him of attempted extortion prior to the incident. Kerehalli was later arrested and released by the police for obstructing officials from performing their duties. He has a criminal record, including an arrest for the murder of cattle transporter Idrees Pasha in Sathanur near Kanakapura in April 2023.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the BJP over alleged disparaging remarks made by former Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during an assembly bypoll campaign in Bagalkote.

Simha made the remarks while campaigning for BJP candidate Veerabhadrayya Charantimath, triggering a political row ahead of the by-elections scheduled for April 9.

Congress has fielded Umesh Meti, son of former MLA late M Y Meti, whose death necessitated the bye-election.

"Pratap Simha's vile remarks about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bagalkot have exposed the BJP's despicable politics once again," Surjewala said in a social media post.

Alleging a larger political design, he added, "It is increasingly evident that Pratap Simha’s outburst is driven by desperation," and accused the BJP of using such remarks to target backward classes, Scheduled Castes, and minorities.

The Rajya Sabha member further claimed that the incident reflects a pattern within the party. "This is not one man's madness—it is the BJP’s political culture," he said, adding that the remarks were aimed at "denigrating leaders from marginalised communities".

Referring to past incidents, Surjewala said, "CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar have received death threats in the past, including one from BJP leaders who warned that their bodies would be stuffed into a refrigerator."

The Congress leader also criticised the BJP’s bypoll campaign strategy, alleging "internal contradictions".

He pointed to the party’s use of expelled MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal in campaigning despite earlier disciplinary action against him, accusing the BJP of resorting to "abuses and indignities" against opposition leaders.

Surjewala demanded immediate action from the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, state president B Y Vijayendra, and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka.

He said they must tender a public apology to Kannadigas, particularly to OBCs, SCs, and minorities, over the remarks, and urged the party to expel Simha if it does not repudiate his statements.

Surjewala also called for legal action, demanding that an FIR be registered against Simha and that strict measures be taken.

Warning of "political consequences", he said the electorate in the bypoll-bound constituencies would respond decisively if the BJP failed to apologise, asserting that voters would "teach the BJP a befitting lesson" in the elections.

There has been no immediate reaction from the saffron party yet.