CHENNAI: Even as the number of stray cattle and dog attacks is on the rise, the city may just have to put up with one more form of animal menace; attack by stray horses. For instance, Gandhimathi of Mathur in Madhavaram was attacked by four to five stray horses last week. She was returning home from a nearby shop, when the animals chased her, pushed her down and ran over her on January 16.
Gandhimathi sustained severe injuries and she is still receiving treatment at a private hospital in Chennai. Speaking to TNIE, her husband Rajamanickam said, “She sustained injuries on the head and fell unconscious. For over four days, she was treated in the intensive care unit.”
Residents of Mathur alleged that the stray horse movement has increased in their area over the last two months. “Recently horses are roaming around here and we have no idea who their owners are,” says Sathya, a local resident.
Sources claimed several abandoned corporation buildings in the area are being illegally used as stables. Rajarajan from the Madhavaram Residents Welfare Association told TNIE, “There are more than a dozen old buildings lying unused in Mathur. Some persons use these buildings to lodge horses during nighttime, and they let the animals out during the day. Corporation should put these buildings to use, and identify the owners of these stray horses.”
Meanwhile, corporation officials said they were not aware of the issue. “We usually get complaints regarding stray cattle and dogs. We haven’t received any complaints regarding stray horses. We will look into the issue,” said a senior corporation official.