PHAGWARA: A delegation representing various Hindu organizations met Additional Deputy Commissioner Dr. Akshita Gupta in Phagwara today, urging the district administration to take immediate steps to protect stray cattle roaming freely in the area. The delegation submitted a memorandum demanding that these animals be relocated to gaushalas (cow shelters) or other appropriate shelters to safeguard their lives.
Leaders of the delegation, including Inderjit Karwal, Senior Vice President of Shiv Sena Punjab; Deepak Bhardwaj, State President of the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Suraksha Samiti; Hari Krishna Duggal, District President of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad; and Harsh Bhalla of Bajrang Dal, expressed concern that stray cattle are increasingly vulnerable to abduction by cattle smugglers, particularly for slaughter, which they claimed could deeply hurt religious sentiments and disturb communal harmony.
The leaders cited a major incident reported around a month ago in Phagwara involving illegal cattle slaughter and beef smuggling. They also pointed to similar occurrences being reported in other cities across Punjab. The organizations alleged that while the Punjab government continues to collect cow cess in the name of cattle protection, there has been little to no visible impact on the ground.
The memorandum also highlighted the risk stray cattle pose to public safety, with animals often wandering onto busy roads, causing traffic disruptions and accidents. “This is not just a matter of religious sentiment but also of public safety and administrative accountability, ” the delegation stated.
They warned that if the administration fails to act, tensions could rise among local communities, and the peace of the region might be disrupted. The delegation urged the ADC to take concrete steps to ensure the immediate rehabilitation of stray cattle into government-aided or NGO-run shelters.