Cow on road: To err fatally is human, so forgive bovine

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat high court wants the cattle menace off the roads but a Kheda man has taken the high road by blaming himself for his pillion rider's death after a running cow made their bike swerve.
Rahul Vanjhara, 23, filed an FIR against himself with Kheda town police on Saturday. The man who perished was his cousin, Hasmukh Vanjhara, 37. Both belong to Vanjharavaas in Kheda town. According to the FIR, the two had gone to their workplace near Para Darwaza in Kheda town on Saturday afternoon.
Later, the two headed off to a nearby market to have tea. Rahul drove his motorcycle and Hasmukh rode pillion.
"I was driving at full speed in a negligent manner. Near a sharp turn, a cow suddenly came running towards me," Rahul's FIR states. "I lost control of my vehicle in a bid to save the cow. I fell on the bushes near the road and sustained injuries." The FIR adds: "My cousin fell on the road and suffered severe injuries to his head."
Rahul said that Hasmukh stood up for a couple of seconds and then collapsed, receiving more injuries. "I called the 108 ambulance service and the paramedics who arrived on the scene declared Hasmukh dead," the FIR says.
'How can cow be held responsible'
A medico-legal case was filed and a team of Kheda town police inspected the accident spot. "I told the cops that the cow had escaped after the bike crashed," Rahul told TOI. "The cattle owner was at fault in letting the animal roam free. But how can the cow or its owner be legally held responsible for the accident?" He added: "I was driving the vehicle, so it was my negligence which led to my cousin's death. Therefore, I filed a complaint against myself."
Police have named the deceased as the sole witness and have registered a case of causing death by negligent and rash driving against Rahul.