Himachal: 35-year-old man gored to death by stray bull in Baijnath

A 35-year-old man was killed after a stray bull attacked him at a cowshed in Krishnanagar village of Tanhotu panchayat in Baijnath sub-division on Wednesday.

The victim, Ajay Kumar, had gone to drive out the bull that had entered the cowshed. However, as he attempted to take the animal outside, the bull turned violent and attacked him, leaving him injured.

Despite severe injuries, Ajay managed to reach his home. His condition, however, deteriorated rapidly. Family members took him to a nearby Ayurvedic dispensary and later shifted him to the Civil Hospital, Baijnath, when his condition deteriorated. He succumbed to his injuries.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the village and once again brought into focus the administration’s failure to check the stray cattle menace, despite repeated complaints and several incidents of animals turning violent.

Several stray cattle-related accidents and attacks have been reported in the region in recent years. Stray bulls have repeatedly been found roaming roads, residential areas and around public places, posing a serious threat to pedestrians and motorists. Till date, nine persons have lost their lives due to attacks by stray cattle in Palampur and Baijnath in two years.

Villagers alleged that the administration, municipal bodies and the Animal Husbandry Department had been informed about the stray cattle menace, but action had largely remained limited to temporary measures. Munish Dixit, a journalist, pointed out that merely shifting cattle from one locality to another could not be treated as a solution. He called for a time-bound district-wide campaign to identify and capture stray cattle and ensure their relocation to properly managed shelters.