A heinous attack was carried out on a bull belonging to the famous Srikanteshwara temple in Nanjangud in the Mysore district on January 16. As per reports, the attackers chopped off the bull’s tail and inflicted serious injuries on his body using sharp weapons. A vet was called to treat the bull and the bovine is currently out of danger.
Earlier, in a similar incident, a person identified as Saiyyed Nasru sliced off the udders of three cows in Bengaluru.
The incident has sparked outrage among the local Hindus who demanded swift action against the culprits. People are blaming the Congress government in the state for not building a ‘Gaushala’ which renders stray cattle vulnerable to such attacks and smuggling. Witnesses to the incident reportedly said that the attackers also attempted to catch the bull and put it in a vehicle. Some people have accused the temple administration of being complicit in the attack on the bull.
The police were informed about the incident. Mysuru SP, N Vishnuvardhana took cognizance of the matter and ordered the filing of an FIR against unknown persons. Two teams of police have been formed to nab the culprits. A protest was organised by former BJP MP Pratap Sinha and local people against the incident. Along with speedy action in the matter, people demanded the construction of a cow shelter for stray cattle in the area.
District convenor of Mysuru-based Yuva Brigade, S Chandrashekhar said that the attack and smuggling of bulls donated to Srikanteshwara temple is not new. He said that in the absence of a Gaushala, the bulls become vulnerable to such attacks. Mysuru city BJP Chief L Nagendra also condemned the brutal attack on the bull.
There is a tradition of donating bovines in the Srikanteshwara temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. According to locals, the previous government had marked around 2 acres of land and issued funding for the construction of a Gaushala. Due to the state government’s inaction, the temple administration has decided to temporarily convert the elephant shelter of the temple to accommodate the stray bovines.