Cows at the makeshift shelter under the Yamuna Expressway in Aligarh. (Express photo)In the last one week, as many as 60 stray cattle, including cows and calves, kept in a makeshift shed died of “cold and weakness” in Tappal area of Aligarh district, police said.
Police had transported 1,800 cattle in the last one week to a cow shelter run by one Shiv Dutt Sharma at Jarkari town, but the latter shifted most the animals to a makeshift shelter under the Yamuna Expressway as “he had no space left in his shed”. Most of these cattle were sent from Iglas area of the district, said sub-divisional magistrate, Khair area, Arvind Kumar.
Some of these cattle were sent from Tamotia village where the locals had locked them in a school for allegedly damaging their crops.
After coming to know about the deaths, a team of district administration, including veterinary doctors and police, rushed to the spot to inquire into the incident on Monday.
“Around 1,800 animals were transported to the cow shed in the last one week. The veterinary team which had gone there found 60 cows and calves dead due to weakness and cold. However, the deaths are not due to Sharma’s negligence. His shelter was already full, so, he had to shift the cattle to the makeshift shed,” said chief veterinary officer, Aligarh, Dr KP Varshney. The dead animals have been buried without conducting an autopsy, he added.
“On Monday, we divided the cow shed in four parts – for cows, calves, sick animals and bull. Proper arrangements have been made to ensure that the animals are safe. A team of veterinary doctors are camping at the gaushala,” said Varshney.
Meanwhile, police arrested three persons for assaulting the police and the driver of a cattle transport van while the animals were being transported from Tamotia village to Tappal shed following rumors of cow slaughtering, said Assistant Superintendent of Police, Aligarh, Mani Lal Patidar.
