Fighting each other, blocking vehicles, and chasing pedestrians, stray cattle create panic in Thrissur city.
One of the stay bulls, which ran amok to the crowd during the Pulikkali on Saturday, injured six persons. Some of them were hurt as people ran helter-skelter in confusion.
According to unofficial statistics, there are around 50 cattle roaming around in different parts of the city. Most of them are found on the Thekkinkadu maidan. They also frequent the stretch between the North bus stand and Sakthan Market, feasting on the garbage dumped on the streets and the market.
Hundreds of people come to Thekkinkadu maidan, the heart of the city, every day. They include devotees coming to Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple, morning and evening walkers, people who spend evenings on the maidan, and those who use it as a short-cut to cross from one part of Swaraj Round to the other. The Maidan witnesses various socio-political and cultural programmes almost every day. The lush green area is the favourite chill-out spot for city dwellers.
“I was chased by a bull while walking through the Thekkinkadu maidan one day. I was not attacked as I ran fast. It was a narrow escape,” says K.K. Najeeb, a photographer with The Hindu .
The stray bulls often fight each other, creating fear among people. The elderly and children are most affected.
The stray cattle often lie around on the roads of Swaraj Round and bylanes in groups. Motorists often meet with accidents at night as it is difficult to see them, especially in dim light or at a curve of the road. Some months ago, a stray bull even attacked a car at Sakthan Nagar. Incidents of two-wheeler riders slipping on cowdung on the road are common.
Ritual discontinued
There used to have a ritual till recently offering cattle to the Sree Vadakkunnathan temple. But as it became difficult to manage them, the Cochin Devaswom Board discontinued it around eight years ago.
“The temple has only five cows and four calves now. We let them out in the morning and tether them back around noon. We shifted the other cattle offered by the devotees to Mysuru two years ago.” said T.R. Hariharan, secretary, Vadakkunathan temple advisory committee. It is the responsibility of the city Corporation to take care of the stray bulls, he said.
People from different parts of the district abandon the bulls and old cows at Thekkinkadu maidan. Some people leave them at the maidan in the morning and take them back in the evening. Some cows even give birth at the maidan.
During Thrissur Poorm, the city Corporation used to shift them to a shelter and free them after the festival.
Following complaints from people and the Animal Welfare Board, the Corporation had earlier taken a decision not to free the cattle captured as precaution for Thrissur Pooam.
“We thought of protecting them on our compound near Snehabhawan,” said Mayor Ajitha Vijayan.
“We captured 48 cattle during the Thrissur Poram this time. Ahead of the plan to protect them even after the Pooram, the civic body gave an advertisement saying if there is any owner for the cows, they should take them back. But a group of people protested and alleged that the Corporation was going to sell them off. We had to call a special council meeting to explain the situation.”
Later, a group of people reached the cattle shelter one night, threatened the watchmen, and let out all the cattle captured from the city, the Mayor said.
The Corporation had complained to the police about the incident.
“We can find a solution for the issue with the cooperation of people,” she said.
The incident during the Pulikkali should be an eye-opener for animal lovers as well as the authorities concerned.
