CHANDIGARH: Twenty cows died and 28 fell sick at a shelter in Phagwara on Sunday night. Protests followed this incident as various Hindu bodies alleged that the feed was poisoned and called for a bandh.
"A board of veterinarians at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) is conducting a post-mortem of the carcasses," said Phagwara Superintendent of Police Rupinder Kaur Bhatti.
"The cows died at Krishan Gaushala, Mehligate and the exact cause of death will be known once the post-mortem report comes," she added.
She said the case is being investigated and the team has not found any ulterior motives behind the incident so far.
Bhatti said, "CCTV footage from the gaushala is being scanned to find out if there was any mischief behind the incident.’’
A case has been registered under sections 299 (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class) and 325 (punishment for committing mischief by killing, poisoning, or rendering useless any animal) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, on the complaint by cow shelter manager Satnam Singh.
On a call by various Hindu bodies, a bandh was observed in Phagwara to protest the incident. A large number of activists from Hindu bodies took out a protest march in various markets.
Several Hindu leaders, including Inderjit Karwal of Shiv Sena, rushed to the gaushala and alleged that some miscreants had poisoned them and demanded they be arrested soon.
Former Union ministers and BJP leaders Som Parkash and Vijay Sampla, AAP MP Raj Kumar Chabbewal, and some other leaders visited the cow shelter.
Meanwhile, the sick cows are being treated by a team of veterinarians.