Agra: Uttar Pradesh continues to be plagued by stray cows and bulls despite Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s assurances that these animals should not be on the streets – and particularly in farmers’ fields – after 1 April, 2023.
Adityanath had issued strict instructions a few months ago in view of the problems citizens, including farmers, faced from the strays.
Meanwhile, a farmer in Agra has found a “legal solution” to the menace. Resident of village Lohkarera, Rajkumar has served a compensation notice on Agra District Magistrate Navneet Chahal after being attacked by a bull on 15 April.
He was walking to his field that evening when the bull ran into him and broke his thigh bone. He told ThePrint that his treatment, including a surgery, cost him Rs 1 lakh and yet he was unable to walk properly. He added the attack had incapacitated him from working in the fields and that he may now have a permanent limp.
Rajkumar’s advocate Rohan Singh said the police of Runkata refused to register the complaint as they could not find the owner of the animal that had strayed. Following this, Rajkumar served a compensation notice to the district magistrate.
The notice was also sent to the district panchayat chairman, the sub-divisional magistrate of Kirawali, the local gram panchayat officer, and the gram pradhan of Lohkarera.
Rohan Singh said the farmer has demanded Rs 5 lakh in damages, stating that the prevention of animals from straying was included in Section 1530 (d) of the Panchayat Raj Act.
There is also a provision for keeping them in a cowshed or a secure location. Every individual’s safety is the responsibility of the government, the farmer said, adding a person was entitled to a redress if they were hurt by a stray animal.
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