Cop twists lady activist's hand in police station

PANAJI/OLD GOA: Animal rights activists rescuing cattle from slaughter were literally arm twisted by the police on Wednesday, as a police sub-inspector of Old Goa police station allegedly misbehaved twisting the palm of a lady activist over differences of opinion regarding use of relevant provisions of the law at the police station.

It was the intervention of Maneka Gandhi, through her counterpart in Goa, Norma Alvares, that finally got the case registered under the relevant sections. The girl, Atika S, who was outraged at the incident, called up SP, North, Vijay Singh, after noting down his number from the board of the police station and complained to him. The SP rushed to the spot to sort out the issue.

"PSI Nalvesh Desai held my palm and twisted it while I was telling him to lodge the complaint under sections of Goa Cow Slaughter Act," an outraged Atika said, alleging that the police were registering the complaint under the Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals Act. Atika informed Gandhi of the misbehaviour by the PSI.

Activists of the Bicholim-based NGO animal rescue squad first foiled an attempt to illegally slaughter cattle at Pandavaddo, Chorao earlier on Wednesday morning. When they went to Old Goa police station to register a first information report (FIR) against the offenders, a heated argument broke out between the police and activists regarding the sections of various acts to be applied in the case.

Complainant and NGO president Amrutlal S Singh was accompanied by Atika S and John Varghese. After Amrutlal Singh submitted the written complaint, the PSI demanded to know where the specific section was mentioned in it. "When I pointed the particular section in the complaint, he held my palm and turned it," Atika alleged.

A police source alleging that Atika had not identified herself, despite being asked by the police as she was not connected with the raid at the site of the alleged cow slaughter at Chorao. "She grabbed the complaint from PSI's hand, stating that the correct section was not being written on it," the source said.

Atika conceded that she did not reveal her identity as she was being threatened with arrest by the police official. "I was afraid as I am a visitor," she said. She denied having snatched the paper from the PSI.

An official said they had not received any complaint of misbehaviour. The source confirmed that the SP had visited the police station after he was called and the matter regarding the registration of the offence has been sorted out. "If we receive a complaint of misbehavior, we will examine it," the official said.

Atika has alleged that Old Goa police are refusing to register her FIR against the PSI. A complaint against Chorao residents Mustaq Gauns Bepari and Gauns Raja Bepari has been registered under Section 429 read with Section 34 of IPC, Section 11 (d) of the Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals Act, Section 8 of the Goa Animal Preservation Act, 1995 and Section 3 and 9 (non-bailable and cognizable) of the Goa, Daman and Diu Cow Slaughter Act, 1978.

The accused had transported two cows and an identical number of oxen from Mayem to Chorao. Singh and Ishwar Pawar followed the vehicle to Chorao and when the duo was readying to slaughter the cattle at around 5.15am, he called the police.

Old Goa police rushed to the site and seized two cows and two male calves. The two were subsequently arrested, police said. Four cattle skins were also found at the spot.

In a similar case at Chorao involving the same offenders in January 2011, Old Goa police had applied only Section 11 (d) of the Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals Act, which is a bailable offence, Singh said.

Animal husbandry and veterinary services director Benjamin Braganza said the department does not have a 'provision' to transport impounded cattle. "As of now the department keeps impounded cattle at the Kalay farm in Sanguem and transportation of cattle to such a distance is indeed a problem," he said. tnn

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Cop-twists-lady-activists-hand-in-police-station/articleshow/15155179.cms

JNU students' group wants pork and beef served in canteen

To press for its demand, 'New Materialist' plans to defy law and organise a beef, pork food festival on the varsity campus

With recommencement of elections for the students' union in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) after four years, some off-beat political activities too have gained momentum on the campus. A group of students that calls itself 'New Materialist' is up in arms against the varsity administration. However, their remonstration has nothing to do with the fee structure or facilities in hostel, but to gratify their taste buds. The group wants the administration to allow serving beef and pork in the canteen.

The group had organised a public meeting last week, wherein it was decided that the group would do all to ensure its demand is met. Surprisingly, it is said that some professors too had lent their support to the New Materialists. "The JNU campus was always dominated by the Left. Scared of losing votes, the student's union never bothered about issues that are of concern to the minority community," said Inba Karunko, a member of the group.
He added that the varsity administration has prepared a jacketed menu that influences Brahmanic taste. "When chicken and mutton can be served in the campus, why not beef and pork?" Karunko questioned, adding that just because the majority community doesn't approve of it, doesn't mean students can't eat what they like.
Karunko claimed there are thousands of students from Northeast and south India who eat pork and beef.

"Respecting the need of such students, serving beef and pork should be allowed on the campus," he said. The group has also started a Facebook page to garner support for its demand. "We'll soon start a signature campaign and present our demand before the administration. To start with, at least one dhaba that serves beef and pork should be started on the campus," said Suraj Beri, another group member. He added that later they'd demand to add beef and pork in the hostel food menu.
When reminded that consuming cow meat is illegal in the city, a student leader said, "Such laws are made for political reasons. We are against this law. In fact, to defy the law and to press for our demand, we are planning to organise a beef, pork food festival in the university campus."

Beef sentiment becomes ‘fleshpoint’ at Osmania

After the Telangana agitation, it is the “beef sentiment” that is doing the rounds on the Osmania University campus which has been calm for over eight months since the dilution of the agitation for a separate state.
 

The flashpoint this time is the demand of 2,000-strong Dalit students of the university for beef to be served in university canteens which is opposed by the Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

In protest against the upper class attitude, Dalit students plan to hold a “beef festival” on the campus in April to coincide with the birth anniversary celebrations of Babu Jagjivan Ram on April 5, Dr B R Ambedkar on April 14 and Jyotiba Phule on April 11.

The Dalit students plan to cook beef in the open and serve it to the gathering as an expression of their cultural identity and traditional right.

But the university authorities have refused permission for such a festival in the face of hostile postures by the ABVP.

University Vice-Chancellor S Satyanarayana said the issue was very sensitive and, given the history of caste tensions on the campus, the authorities fear that the issue may become a flashpoint for another bout of campus mob fury.

Dalit campaigners, however, say by denying permission, the university is resorting to cultural imposition on Dalits and treating them as apartheid in their own land.

“Dalit students have a right to practise their food habits as protected under the Constitution,” said Dalit writer and academic Kancha Ilaiah.

At present, chicken, mutton and eggs are served as part of the non-vegetarian menu at the university hostels. The politics of food on the Osmania campus, known as the nerve centre of Telangana movement and also a hotbed of radicalism, has triggered a totally new vista of agitation.

Charging the authorities with imposing a culture of “food fascism” prominent Dalit activist  Bojja Tarakam said it was an attempt to lampooning the Dalits in the name of caste and religion.

“Beef has nothing to do with hurting any sentiments as majority of meat eating population in the world, including India, are beef lovers,” he said. The Osmania vice-chancellor has asked senior faculty members to hold talks with the student representatives and sort out the matters amicably.

In the past, there were some instances of scuffle between the ABVP and Dalit students on the issue of organising beef festival on the campus and the event was put off. “In their petition submitted to the vice-chancellor, the Dalit students alleged that their food habits and traditions were being ridiculed and insulted by ABVP members,” said a university spokesman.

30 cows crammed in a truck rescued at Chengalpet, 5 held

CHENNAI: Animal welfare activists and police rescued on Friday about 30 cows being taken from Andhra Pradesh to Kerala for slaughter. The cows, crammed into a truck, were being transported from Tilaru village near the AP-Orissa border.

Around 10.15am, when the truck was parked near the Chenagalpet toll plaza, some residents of a nearby village found the animals in the vehicle and alerted the police and the Blue Cross of India. "We rushed there with a medical kit and were shocked to see that most of the animals were sick and weak," said Dawn Williams, general manager of Blue Cross. All the cows were tied to a wooden frame. One of them was with a broken leg and while another four were in a dehydrated state, Blue Cross officials said. "We sent the cattle to the Blue Cross rescue centre in Chennai for medical attention," Chengalpet Taluk sub-inspector S Sivagnanam said.

The animals, Blue Cross officials said, were being transported in violation of the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, the Transport of Animals Rules, 1978, and section 378, 379, 428 and 429 of the Indian Penal Code. Under these provisions, persons can be sentenced up to five years of imprisonment. "As per transport rules, a truck can carry six animals as a cow or bull needs two square metres of space. We find overloaded trucks carrying cattle nearly every day on GST Road and on the Chennai-Bangalore Highway," said honorary joint secretary of Blue Cross, Satya Radhakrishnan.

Based on a complaint from Williams, five people, including truck driver S Karupaiyah,31, of Dindigul, were arrested. On February 7, animal welfare activists and police had rescued 26 buffaloes and two bulls being transported for slaughter from Andhra Pradesh to Kerala near Chengalpet. 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/30-cows-crammed-in-a-truck-rescued-at-Chengalpet-5-held/articleshow/11933283.cms

MP law: 7 yrs in jail for eating beef, cops can raid on mere suspicion

Citing public interest and communal harmony, the BJP government argued that existing legislation provided for only a three-year jail term for cow slaughter and had several flaws. The state government amended it in July 2010 and sent it to the President. The new provisions will enable authorities to punish transporters, their employees and drivers with jail terms from six months to three years.

Cow slaughter is now a serious offence and could invite a jail term of up to seven years in Madhya Pradesh. Consuming, keeping or transporting beef of any cow progeny will invite the same punishment. A police official not below the rank of a head constable — or any person authorised by a competent authority — has the power to enter, inspect and search any premises “where he has reason to believe that an offence (under this Act) has been, is being or is likely to be committed and take necessary action’’. 

These stringent provisions will be notified after the Madhya Pradesh Gau-Vansh Vadh Pratishedh (Sanshodhan) Bill, 2010 received the President’s assent on December 22. The Centre felt that raiding premises merely on the assumption that an offence is “likely” could be misused and recommended that such power be limited to cases when an offence had taken place or was taking place. The amended legislation has disregarded the recommendation.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/go-seva/895107/

Cow slaughter: PIL seeks stricter laws

CUTTACK: Despite the existence of stringent laws banning illegal transportation of cows for slaughter and open slaughtering of the animals, rampant supply of cattle to outside states for the very purpose continues unchecked.

According to estimates, over 2.5 lakh cows are illegally transported from different regions to states like West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh every month. What is more appalling is that they are transported in barbaric conditions, overloaded and crammed in such a way that many even fail to make the destination and die on the way.

While recent incidents where locals and animal welfare organisations have rescued a large number of cows during illegal transportation have brought to light the enormity of the situation, a PIL was on Monday filed in the Orissa High Court seeking directions to the Government for strict enforcement of the laws and striking at the root of such activities.

The petitioners, general secretary of Legal Support and Social Action Gadadhar Sahoo and president of Biswa Go Surakhya Bahini Suresh Kumar Panda, informed that areas like Begunia, Sakhigopal, Baliapada, Ichchapur, Tangi, Jagatsinghpur, Charampa, Golbazaar, Sambalpur, Soro, Gopinathpur and Athagarh were hubs of illegal cow markets.

A survey conducted by them has revealed that at least 15,000 cows from Khurda district, 24,000 from Kendrapara, 40,000 from Bhadrak, 20,000 each from Jajpur and Jagatsinghpur and 50,000 each from Balasore and Cuttack districts are illegally transported to Kolkata every month. Besides, not less than 38,000 cattle were channeled to Andhra Pradesh from Koraput district alone.

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, (amended) 1982 provides for imprisonment without fine on persons engaged in illegal transportation of animals and inflicting torture on them by overloading and beating them. However, as the enforcement agencies like police do not act strong,� unscrupulous sellers are having a free run. This will soon lead to a situation of serious shortage of cattle in the State, the petitioners submitted.

They also stated that the Animal Welfare Board of India that had taken note of the rampant illegal transportation of cattle to West Bengal in September this year had written to the Chief Secretary seeking directions to all police stations to prevent and curb illegal transportation. However, the police have still turned a blind eye, the petitioners alleged.

The petitioners have prayed for directions to the Home Secretary and the DGP to take immediate steps to stop illegal transportation as well as stopping cow slaughter in public.

“Under the Prevention of Cow Slaughter Rules 1966, the animals can be slaughtered on obtaining a certificate and that can only be allowed in his own place away from public or at locations away from human habitation. The local authorities should construct abattoirs for the purpose but nothing has been done yet, Gadadhar Sahoo submitted.

Indian state sets up law to protect cow

http://www.mysinchew.com/node/64406

NEW DELHI, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- The western Indian state of Gujarat legislative assembly has unanimously cleared a bill to control the transportation of cattle within the state and outside to protect the cow, a holy animal in Hindu religion, says China's Xinhua news agency citing a report in The Times of India Thursday.

The Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 2011, specifically prevents the transportation of cow, the calf of a cow, a bull or a bullock.

The bill makes it obligatory for anyone wanting to transport the animal to obtain a permit from a new authority to be set up. The transporter will have to show that he is ferrying bovines only for agricultural or animal husbandry purpose.

States agriculture minister Dileep Sanghani said Wednesday that anyone violating the proposed law will not only face seizure of the animals and vehicles in which they are sought to be transported, but also up to seven-year imprisonment and a fine up to 50,000 rupees (US$1,000).

Now 7 years jail term for cow slaughter in Gujarat

http://news24online.com/Now-7-years-jail-term-for-cow-slaughter-in-Gujarat_News24_34317.aspx

Ahmadabad: Those who will involve in cow slaughter in Gujarat have to pay very heavy price. The state government has enacted an extremely tough measures to deal with all those involve in cow slaughter. The state assembly passed a bill in this regard on Tuesday.

According to the provisions of the bill,anybody taking cow for the purpose of slaughter would face seven years jail term.

While presenting the Gujarat Animal preservation Bill 2011,the state agricultural minister Dilip Sanghani said that the new bill will give ample teeth to law agencies to deal sternly with those who kill cow. The bill was even supported by the congress.

2 more bills passed, Gujarat Assembly session ends

http://www.blogger.com/goog_930543102

The two-day monsoon session of the state assembly concluded on Tuesday with the passing of two bills — the Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 2011, and the Bombay Inams (Kutch Area) Abolition (Repeal) Bill, 2011.

The session started at 8.30am and continued till 3pm. However, it was not that lively as it was on Monday. There were not many exciting questions asked and Congress MLAs didn't seem to be in mood to create any storm. Agriculture and animal husbandry minister Dileep Sanghani presented the Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 2011 in the House.

After discussion, the bill was passed unanimously. Leader of the opposition Shaktisinh Gohil said in his speech that the state government had been compelled to bring in the amendment bill because of pressure from Maldhari community and religious saints and leaders. "The government should look into the roots of the issue of cow slaughter. The government should take the grazing lands back, which have been given to its favourite people almost for free, and give it back to people associated with animal husbandry and also Maldhari community. People are compelled to sell their cattle because of helplessness to feed the animals, as there are no natural sources like grazing land," he said.

From the BJP, Radhanpur MLA Shankar Chaudhary, Gadhada MLA Atmaram Parmar, Jethabhai Bharwad and Mafat Purohit took part in the discussion. From the Congress, Ramsinh Parmar and other MLAs participated in the discussion.

GPCC president and Porbandar MLA Arjun Modhwadia also spoke on the bill. He said, "Earlier, those who are now sitting in the ruling government had staged protests to save the cow, but when their government was in power in the Centre during 1999-2004, nobody bothered about bringing a national level bill in Parliament on the issue. On the contrary, they had promoted the meat export."

He further said, "Even the Britishers had made rules to provide 40 acres of grazing land per 100 animals but today there is no space for the animals to even stand. This government has given the land, which was identified for animal hostel by the Britishers in 1904 near Sanand, to the Tatas. The government should protect the Indian culture of cow worshipping."

Sanghani, in his reply, said: "The government is committed to prosecuting those involved in cow slaughter. We will never let anyone go after committing such an act. As far as the issue of promoting meat exports is concerned, I would say that it is the UPA government, which is imposing ban on cotton export and giving subsidies to encourage meat export."

Animal Welfare Board of India Expresses Concerns over the Proposed IFFCO KISAN SEZ

http://www.businesswireindia.com/PressRelease.asp?b2mid=27850 

The Chairman of the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) in a letter has expressed animal welfare concerns over the proposed IFFCO KISAN SEZ. This letter comes in response to the petition by FIAPO seeking intervention of the AWBI.

In a letter addressed to the promoters of a mega dairy planned for the IFFCO Kisan SEZ (IKSEZ) in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, AWBI has raised questions about the establishment of mega dairies, as such dairy systems are prone to several environmental and animal welfare risks and has sought the details of the project to help AWBI assess the animal welfare implication of the mega dairy.

According to reports, a consortium of IFFCO, the New Zealand based dairy company, Fonterra and an Indian company called Global Dairy Health are developing a mega dairy as part of IFFCO’s SEZ. Reports suggest that the consortium will import 9,000 high yielding pregnant cows from New Zealand over a 3 year period. There are also plans to import frozen embryos and semen for subsequent breeding.

In such 'mega dairies', the cows are typically kept almost exclusively indoors with little or no access to natural surroundings. Cows farmed intensively like this are bred to produce unnaturally large amounts of milk which can make them more susceptible to health problems such as lameness, mastitis, poor body condition and infertility. To maintain these excessive yields of milk without damage to their health they have to be fed an unnaturally concentrated diet which leaves them little time for grazing.

Intensive dairy farm

“Since consumers in developed countries are demanding an end to such inhumane confinement systems, foreign animal production companies are looking to developing countries like India as a dumping ground for the cruelty and waste involved in industrial farm animal production.” Said Arpan Sharma, Convener, FIAPO “Unfortunately, Indian standards lag behind those of some developed nations, and progressive animal welfare standards are not being implemented by foreign companies in Indian markets. This is unfair to Indian consumers, as most of us would prefer products with high animal welfare standards.”

Lincolnshire in UK recently refused permission to a cattle farm similar to the one proposed at IKSEZ. “It is clear that the west itself is moving away from such production systems and India should not permit the establishment of such models that that have demonstrated negative impacts on the environment, small farmers and on animals, added Sharma.”

The AWBI letter is available upon request.

Facts:

-- Animal Welfare Board of India is a statutory body of Government of India constituted under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act, 1960. At present, the AWBI is working under the aegis of Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.

-- The Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO) is an umbrella body of Indian animal welfare groups across the country.

-- According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), "with increasing production, cows need to spend more time eating and thus have less time available for other activities, and may not be able to allocate time enough to fulfill their need for important activities such as resting."

      
My take

In intensive dairy farms the cows are restricted to barren fenced lot which is piled with their dung and urine. To increase the milk production, they are fed grains which are not the natural diet of cows.  They are pumped with Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH) and oxytocin to increase the milk production. This leads to abnormal size of udders leading to infections. Antibiotics are used to treat these infections which invariably are present in the milk and meat of these animals.

These infections, hormones, lack of care, etc shortens the life span of the dairy animals drastically (from 20-25 to 3-7 years old). Once the milk production reduces or stops, the cows are are sold to slaughterhouses for meat in addition to the male calves which are considered ‘uneconomical’ for dairy industry.

18th Aug 2011

Andhra farmers zone runs into trouble

HYDERABAD — The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has raised objections to the establishment of the ambitious ‘Kisan’ Special Economic Zone in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh after environmentalists and animal lovers raised serious concerns over the proposal to set up mega dairies in collaboration with a foreign company as part of the SEZ.

According to AWBI Chairman Dr R M Kharb, the establishment of mega dairies in the coastal district involved several environmental and animal welfare risks and possible violation of rules. The AWBI is a statutory body of Government of India, working under the aegis of Ministry of Environment and Forests.

Dr Kharb, in a letter to the promoters of Kisan SEZ, raised several environmental concerns over the proposed project by a consortium of IFFCO, Fonterra, a New Zealand-based dairy company and Global Dairy Health, an Indian firm. The letter was in response to a petition by the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organizations (FIAPO), an umbrella body of Indian animal welfare groups across the country, seeking the intervention of AWBI to stop the project.

Dr Kharb said: “The proposed project is a corporate farm where animals will come under tremendous stress. The animals will be kept at high stocking densities which might result in them contracting diseases which could lead to an increased likelihood of emergence of novel zoonotic diseases.”

The genetically-manipulated high-yielding cows that are proposed to be introduced in the farm have shortened life span, reduced fertility, greater propensity for diseases, physiological and development problems, environmentalists argue.  “Cow slaughter and transportation for slaughter results in additional problems. The management of the amount of animal waste is also a key challenge and often results in degradation of local environment,” the AWBI Chairman said.  According to the convener of FIAPO, Arpan Sharma, the consortium had proposed to import 9,000 high yielding pregnant cows from New Zealand over a three year period. There were also plans to import frozen embryos and semen for subsequent breeding.

“As consumers in developed countries are demanding an end to inhumane confinement systems as is proposed in the SEZ, foreign animal production companies are looking to developing countries like India as a dumping ground for such industrial farm animal production,” Sharma alleged.

“The Indian standards lag behind those of some of the developed nations with progressive animal welfare standards not being implemented by foreign companies in Indian markets. This is unfair to Indian consumers, as most of us would prefer products with high animal welfare standards,” he said.

In such mega dairies, the cows are typically kept almost exclusively indoors with little or no access to natural surroundings. Cows farmed intensively like this are bred to produce unnaturally large amounts of milk which can make them more susceptible to several health problems. 

Sharma pointed out that Lincolnshire in UK had recently refused permission to a cattle farm similar to the one being proposed in AP. “It is clear that the west itself is moving away from such production systems and India should not permit the establishment of such models that have demonstrated negative impacts on the environment,” he contended.

Petition: SAY NO TO INTENSIVE CATTLE FARMS
http://www.change.org/petitions/say-no-to-intensive-cattle-farms

Illegal slaughter killed 110 cow breeds

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_illegal-slaughter-killed-110-cow-breeds_1572891
 

Ahmedabad: A day after police detained a truck carrying 167 cows near Shyamlaji, city cops detained a truck in Saraspur carrying cows.

Widespread trafficking of cows has raised concerns about disappearing of several important breeds of cows.

A Delhi-based trust has come up with a shocking claim.The illegal slaughter of cows has led to some 110 breeds of the animal going extinct in the country since Independence. According to figures provided by the Akhil Bharatiya Go-Sanvradhan, the country had some 118 breeds of cows till 1947. But now the trust says only 18 of them survive.

The trust has blamed the large scale slaughter of the animal for the drop in number of breeds. "Prior to 1947, India had over 48 crore of cows. But now it is just 6 crore," said national president of the trust Swami Swayamanad Giri.

He was speaking at a press meet on Thursday. 

These claims are supported by other organisations of the city working to prevent the illegal slaughter of cows in the city. Tejabhai Desai, a social worker said kidnap and slaughter of cows has seen a rise in and around the city. 

He said that for the last one year butchers have been active in villages surrounding the city. "On Monday, 8 cows in Shertha village of Kalol had gone missing. Similarly, Maaldhari boys spotted butchers trying to escape with 4 cows in Santej village," said Desai. 

He claimed that in the last few months more than 70 vehicles loaded with cows or beef have been detained in Dholka taluka alone. "This is the reason why cow population is going down. Government and police must do something to stop this illegal slaughter" said Desai.

The picture is even gloomier in Ahmedabad city, as illegal trafficking and slaughtering of cows has become a regular affair. According to Nagji Desai, president of Maaldhari Ekta Samiti, in the last one month eight vehicles loaded with beef have been seized by the police. 

He claimed that cow stealing was particularly rampant in areas like Ramol, Isanpur, Bapunagar and Shahpur. In a meeting with state DGP, on Monday, Desai had accused gangs from Juhapura, Bapunagar and Dani Limda of targeting cows roaming on city roads. Desai said cow trafficking and slaughtering is a lucrative business as the meat from a single cow fetches about Rs6000.He also said that inter-state gangs were involved in this business.

Earlier on Wednesday, Shamlajee police had detained a truck carrying 167 cows and calves. The truck with a Madhya Pradesh registration number was trying to enter Gujarat during the night.According to Shamlajee police, the 10 wheeled truck was jam packed with cows. Due to congestion, 66 cows and calves died. Earlier, following a representation by the Maaldhari community, Chitranjan Singh, state Director General of Police (DGP) had asked the concerned heads of police stations to curb the menace. 

"We are working towards curbing the menace. We will also ensure that the offenders do not get bail easily," said Singh. He also ordered that more vehicles be hired for patrolling in the night. 

My take 

It’s a shame that such act of cruelty is taking place in Gujarat which is known as the vegetarian state. This is a result of the cruel dairy industry. Dairy and meat industry are two sides of the same coin. The ‘unproductive’ animals such as old cows, bulls, etc and ‘uneconomical’ animals such as male calves are sold to the meat industry. Keeping them alive does not yield any profit to the dairy owners, so they prefer earning money by selling them to slaughterhouses.  The only way to minimize this atrocity is by turning vegan or at least making a sincere effort to reduce consumption of milk and milk products.