Stray cattle menace haunts commuters

Our Correspondent

Mandi Ahmedgarh, December 24

While stray animals have virtually converted the Ludhiana-Malerkotla road into a death trap, the authorities are yet to awaken from the slumber.

Residents, led by Amar Singh Saraon, president, SAD, and Rajesh Sharma, office-bearer of local unit of BJP, claimed that authorities in the PWD had failed to take preventive measures to curb stray menace. Lehra, Gopalpur, Alamgir, Phallewal, Kup and Bhogiwal villages have been identified as areas where stray menace is on the rise.

A commuter, Rajesh Sharma, said he had a miraculous escape on Saturday night when his SUV tossed in air after colliding with a carcass of a cow lying near Alamgir village on the highway. Sharma, however, did not sustain any serious injury. It is learnt that an Alto Car, carrying four passengers, was completely damaged following a collision with a truck that was moving ahead of the ill-fated vehicle. The car, too, had hit the carcass of the cow first.

The SHO, Dehlon, Amandeep Singh Brar, had to deploy a special team for clearing the road with the help of volunteers from surrounding villages.

“I called 100 a few days ago, but the call was received by officials at a control room in Jalandhar. The official, however, informed the SHODehlon who later called me and took the responsibility of getting the road cleared at the earliest,” said Saraon.

The ACP, Gurpreet Sikand, said concerned beat officers had already been advised to coordinate with authorities in the Public Works Department and seek help from the gaushalas for the rehabilitation of stray cows.