Fed up, Sangrur farmers take stray cattle to DC complex

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, February 6

Fed up with repeated attacks of stray cattle and damage to their crops, farmers of Pedhni village today loaded these animals on four tractor-trailers and reached the office of Deputy Commissioner (DC) to release them there.

After much persuasion, officers succeeded in pacifying the farmers, who had announced to release the animals in the offices of officers if the authorities failed to check the menace of stray cattle.

“Many residents of our village have suffered injuries in attacks by stray cattle in streets and fields. Stray cattle are repeatedly attacking villagers and damaging our crops. We have come here to release these stray cattle inside the DC office to get the officers out of their deep slumber. We have enough stray cattle to release in the offices of each officer, if the authorities failed to take quick action to solve our problem,” said Balwinder Singh, a BKU (Ugrahan) leader from Pedhni village.

Farmers parked all four trailers on the main road in front of the DC’s office, causing traffic jam. They raised slogans against the Sangrur administration. But when they tried to enter the office premises, the police stopped them and informed senior officers about the protest.

Farmers also had heated arguments with the police when the latter tried to stop them from entering the DC’s office.

“We have sent the stray cattle brought by villagers to government gaushala at Jhaneri village. We have called a meeting next week to take effective steps to control rising menace of stray cattle and we are fully aware of the problems of farmers,” said Avikesh Gupta, SDM, Sangrur.