The residents have blamed Zirakpur Municipal Council (MC) for not catching the stray animals. (Express Photo by Bhupendra Rana/representational)A stray cow ran amok in Zirakpur’s Dhakoli market and injured six persons, including two minor boys and a woman, while two elderly men were injured in Lalru when a stray bull attacked them on Friday. The residents have blamed Zirakpur Municipal Council (MC) for not catching the stray animals.
In Zirakpur, the incident took place in the morning around 8.30 when the stray cow first attacked two brothers, Akshit (9) and Aditya (7). They were going to board their school bus. Aditya sustained injuries on his arm, head and legs, while Akshit fell on road, trying to escape from the spot. A milkman, who tried to rescue the children, too was injured in the incident. The milkman was admitted to a private clinic.
Gulshan Bajaj, a resident of Shanti Enclave, was injured when the cow attacked him while he was coming to Dhakoli. Bajaj, a steno in Chandigarh, was going to his office. After the attack, he fell unconscious and was taken to a private hospital where his condition was stated to be out of danger.
Manish Kumar, a shopkeeper, said they called the MC so that the cow could be caught, but in the meantime it went to a nearby market and attacked an elderly woman Hem Lata (72). She was going to a local temple.
After her one B N Pandey, who was returning from the temple, was also injured when the cow attacked him. He, however, was rescued by the local people present at the spot.
In Lalru, 75-year-old Balwant Singh and 90-year-old Ajmer Singh were injured when the bull attacked them while they were sitting outside their house.
Balwant’s son Mahinder Singh said that he took his father and Ajmer to Lalru civil hospital.
Balwant received four stitches on head, while Ajmer sustained injuries on arms.
Mahinder added that his sister-in-law Manjeet Kaur was also earlier injured in a similar attack.
Manoj Das, a Zirakpur resident, said that he along with the members of Residents Welfare Associations of different areas met the MC officials, but they MC did not take any action.
“I myself escaped an accident when a stray cattle came in my way while I was coming back home in the night a few days ago.
Zirakpur Estate Officer Girish Verma, however, said that they had started a drive to catch stray cattle. “I have ordered to shift the stray cattle to Lalru’s cow shed. The cow has been caught and shifted to the shed,” he said.
