Mandya/Sathanur: Several people have been booked in connection with the suspicious death of a cattle trader, whose body was found yesterday.

The deceased has been identified as Idris Pasha (35), a resident of Guttalu Layout in Mandya. One of the prime suspects in the case has been identified as Puneet Kerehalli, Chief of Rashtra Rakshana Samithi Pade, who has been booked by Police among others. Puneet and others had intercepted a goods vehicle in front of Sathanur Police Station and had handed over 16 cattle heads which were being transported in the vehicle to the Police on Saturday midnight. Three persons, who were in the goods vehicle, had fled from the spot and one person was caught by Puneet and his team, who handed him over to the Police. A case in this regard was registered yesterday morning. Meanwhile, the goods vehicle driver, alleging that his vehicle was illegally detained, had lodged a complaint against Puneet and his team members. But at about 9 am yesterday, the body of Idris was found at a distance from the spot, where the goods vehicle was detained.

Alleging that Puneet and his team members had killed Idris, his family members and relatives staged a protest in front of the Police Station following which the Police registered a murder case against Puneet  and others.

Meanwhile, one Younis Pasha, in his complaint, has stated that the cattle were legally purchased at Tandekere Fair near Shivapura in Maddur taluk and there was a receipt for the purchase. “But still, in the name of cow protection, the goods vehicle was illegally stopped and Puneet Kerehalli and team members assaulted us and demanded Rs. 2 lakh. Fearing them, three of us escaped from the spot and Puneet and his team members, who caught hold Idris, who was hiding among the bushes nearby, assaulted and killed him,” the complaint stated.

After post-mortem, the body of Idris was handed over to his family members, who carried the body in a truck in a procession and demanded the arrest of Puneet and others. Last rites were conducted at the Muslim Burial Grounds later.

Sathanur Police, who have registered three separate cases, are investigating.