In a tragic incident, a stray cow kicked a senior citizen on his butt and he succumbed to his injuries. The victim, 75-year-old Kantibhai Malakiya, was on his way to a doctor after he complained of mild fever and seasonal cold.
Malakiya, accompanied by his two grandsons, Saurabh and Sohel, and neighbour Ajay Kamlekar were on their way to a general physician when a stray cow near their house attacked them. The incident occurred near the Rajdhani Society at Chharanagar. The cow kept hitting, kicking, and stomping the elderly man. Malakiya succumbed to his death after receiving injuries on his legs, chest, and back. The other three escaped with minor injuries while saving the senior citizen.
Cattle found on city roads are not hunting for pasture, but escaping mosquito and housefly menace from their stables. They escape their wet stables in search of dry portions of land. Unfortunately, the number of stray cattle on the streets has only multiplied with time.
Following the Malakiya incident, other residents of Sardarnagar, Kubernagar, and other areas of Ahmedabad affirmed the difficulties they face on a daily basis due to stray cows. There have also been incidences of bulls attacking commuters on the roads.
Each year cattle menace increases during the monsoon months from June to September, leading to deaths and/or fatal injuries of commuters. Close to 15,000 cattle seizures occur during these monsoon months by AMC’s Cattle Nuisance and Control Department (CNCD).
In the year 2019, CNCD caught 17,752 stray cattle, 10,064 in the year 2020 and till now in 2021, the department has caught 6,456 stray cattle.
“All through the year, we face this menace and we feel the AMC has not acted firmly on the cattle owners. I had once also sent photographs of a pregnant cow, found in poor health to the AMC. But they refused to take any action as they were busy with Covid-19 duties,” said 75-years-old Girish Baluni, resident of Nava Vadaj. He added, “It is annoying especially during the monsoon, as the cattle owners refuse to gather their cattle and keep them in one place.”
There are times when the animals, unknowingly create a ruckus on the streets. Premaben Mehta, a 60-year-old resident of Uttam Nagar was also a victim of a stray cow. She said, “About a fortnight ago, I was going to a nearby temple when the cow attacked me. These cows come from nowhere and suddenly come running behind us. At times, they block the streets or roads, causing accidents.”
Mehta blamed the cattle owners who leave their cattle unattended and let them roam on the city streets. “There should be strict action against these irresponsible cattle owners,” said Mehta.
For 42-year-old rickshaw driver Sajid, it’s always been a near-death experience. He said, “Monsoons are bad for drivers as the roads are in a bad condition. The addition of stray cattle on the roads is not just a nuisance for us but fatal accidents are always on the rise. In the attempt to save these animals, we either get hit by another stray animal or a vehicle. I hope AMC can take stringent action against the owners.”
