Samples sent to lab: Karnataka govt to investigates alleged dog meat supply to Bengaluru hotels

New Delhi: A heated debate has erupted in Karnataka over the alleged supply of dog meat to hotels in Bengaluru. The controversy began on Friday evening when concerns were raised about meat being transported from Rajasthan to Bengaluru, with some claiming it included dog meat. 

Karnataka government has launched an investigation and sent samples to a food laboratory for analysis. The Karnataka Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSA) is at the forefront of this probe.

Meat shipments in Bengaluru

The issue came to light when several groups, led by Hindutva activist Puneet Kerehalli, protested near Majestic Railway Station in Bengaluru. They claimed that the meat shipments included dog meat destined for local hotels. 

On Friday night, officials from the Karnataka FSSA and a police team conducted an inspection at the railway station. They discovered 90 parcels of meat being loaded onto a vehicle from a train that had arrived from Rajasthan. These parcels were initially believed to contain various types of meat.

Investigation underway

During the inspection, the officials collected samples of the meat for testing at a food laboratory. The Karnataka FSSA Commissionerate announced that the samples had been sent for analysis, and further actions would depend on the test results. 

The commissioner stated that they are gathering detailed information about the FSSAI licenses of both the senders and recipients of the parcels. Any discrepancies found in these licenses could lead to legal action.

Legal action against Puneet Kerehalli

Puneet Kerehalli accused the authorities of mishandling the situation and obstructing their protest. As a result, a case was filed against Kerehalli and others for obstructing police officers from performing their duties and disturbing the peace. The jurisdictional Cottonpet Police arrested them around midnight on Friday. Kerehalli faces charges under Section 132 of the BNS Act for obstructing government officials and Section 351(2) for causing a disturbance.

According to reports, that the meat in question was intended for fine-dining restaurants in Bengaluru.