Dog Meat Or Mutton Sold In Bengaluru? Lab Report Confirms Identity Of Meat Seized At KSR Railway Station

In Bengaluru, a controversy erupted on July 26 over the alleged transportation of dog meat. Police seized 90 insulated boxes containing around 2,700 kg of meat that had arrived by train from Jaipur. Activists gathered at the railway station, protesting the supposed transportation of dog meat. However, officials clarified that the packages contained 'chevon' (goat meat).

Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao addressed the issue on July 31 through a post on X. He stated, "Following recent media reports alleging the transportation of mutton and other animal meat from Rajasthan to Bengaluru via train, we committed to thoroughly investigating this matter through scientific verification. To ensure accuracy, we sent a total of 84 parcels to the ICAR-National Meat Research Institute in Hyderabad for rigorous lab analysis. After meticulous testing, the lab results have conclusively confirmed that the meat in question originates from sheep. This finding lays to rest any speculation or misinformation surrounding the issue."

Food Safety Authority's Findings

K Srinivas, the commissioner of food safety, provided further clarification regarding the incident. He explained, "The meat, at the outset, was not of a dog but is of a special breed of goat, Sirohi, which is largely found in Rajasthan and Kutch-Bhuj areas of Gujarat. They also have a slightly elongated tail and spots on them. Hence, people could easily confuse them for a dog. There were no signs of dog meat in the samples. Due to short supply of mutton and chevon, some traders source it from other states and sell it here at an affordable price."

The police registered three FIRs related to this incident. A senior police officer detailed these actions: "The first FIR was against the transportation of meat, suspecting it could have been mixed with dog meat, and the second was against cow vigilante Puneet Kerehalli for obstructing food quality department officials from discharging their duty. Another FIR was registered against Puneet and his four associates for unlawful assembly in a public place."