PATNA: This is one cork-and-bull story. A villager in Bihar is facing a double blow after he was allegedly caught breaking the prohibition law and found himself straddled with two bulls to care of. Om Prakash Yadav, a native of Bhagwanpur village in Nautan block of West Champaran district, wants to get rid of the cattle as early as possible if the government does not come to his rescue.
Yadav and three others were caught with alcohol bottles allegedly trying to smuggle liquor near Rampur Tengrahi village on January 25 this year. They were transporting liquor bottles on a bullock cart pulled by two oxen owned by Yadav.
After their arrest, the animals were also taken to the police station. The police personnel took care of the bulls for a few days, but later handed over the responsibility of their well-being back to Yadav.
Now, Yadav says even though he does not remain the owner of the animals on paper, he has to spend hundreds of rupees every month on their food and other expenses. As he is an accused in a prohibition case, documents have been prepared in his brother’s name for the responsibility of the bulls. Yadav also says that the police officer in-charge has backtracked from his promise of giving him Rs 10,000 per month for feeding the bulls.
“I have spent more than Rs 50,000 over the last nine months but I have not been paid even a single penny by the police,” Yadav rues. The Station House Officer of Jadopur Police Station, however, says that Rs 10,000 is being given to Yadav for the upkeep of the cattle every month.
Even selling the animals is turning out to be a problem, says Yadav. “An amount of Rs 60,000 has been fixed by the district magistrate for their auction. I had purchased them for Rs 38,000,” says Yadav. “Nobody is interested in purchasing them at such a high price,” he adds, pointing out that he has to pay special attention to the bulls.
“When I was in jail for six months, my wife took care of them. Now, both of us are doing it,” he says. “We cannot take any work from the bulls either. If any harm comes to them, I can be booked for cruelty.”