BHOPAL: The menace of stray animals is proving deadly for humans in Madhya Pradesh.
Over the last two years, a person has either lost their life or suffered grievous injuries every third day in road accidents caused by stray cattle across the state.
In a written reply to a question raised by former Leader of Opposition and seven-time Congress MLA Ajay Arjun Singh, the Dr. Mohan Yadav government informed the Vidhan Sabha on Friday that 237 road accidents attributed to stray animals—particularly cattle—were reported during this period.
Citing data from the state police and the home department, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Minister Lakhan Patel said these 237 accidents led to 94 deaths and 133 injuries.
This means that 227 human casualties—fatalities and serious injuries combined—occurred due to stray-animal-related road crashes over two years, averaging at least one major casualty every three days.
However, the minister did not share any data on damage to farmers’ crops caused by stray cattle.
“Since the assessment of crop losses due to stray animals, especially cattle, is not done by the Animal Husbandry and Dairy Department, the information cannot be provided,” Patel said in his reply. He also confirmed that no proposal was under consideration to compensate farmers for such losses.
Patel further briefed the House on the existing cow-protection infrastructure in the state. Currently, about 4.5 lakh cattle are housed in nearly 3,000 gaushalas (cowsheds) across Madhya Pradesh.
Of these, more than 2,200 gaushalas operate under the Mukyamantri Gauseva Yojana, while the remaining cowsheds are run either by voluntary organisations or by local bodies across the state’s 55 districts.
For the 2025–26 financial year, the state government has allocated ₹296.20 crore for the upkeep and management of gaushalas.