Bull146;s 145;murder146; stirs up a hornet146;s nest

The death of a stray bull sparked off a massive public protest near Sector 69, Mohali, on Wednesday evening.

The death of a stray bull sparked off a massive public protest near Sector 69, Mohali, on Wednesday evening. Alleging that the animal was beaten mercilessly and strangled to death by the Municipal Council MC enforcement staff, the residents of Lambian village resorted to blocking traffic on the road leading from Sector 69-70 lightpoint to Kumbra light point. Later, they gheraoed the MC Bhawan in Sector 68.

Around 4 pm today, the MC staff saw a bull near the bus stand in Phase VIII. 8220;They put a rope around the animal8217;s neck and then tightened the noose. Then the bull was brutally beaten with iron rods, leading to its death,8221; said a protestor. When a crowd gathered, the MC staffers fled leaving behind the dead bull as well as the MC animal-rescue vehicle. Senior police officers reached the spot at 5.30 pm and assured that necessary action would be taken against the guilty.

MC staff, protestors booked
The police have booked the MC staff as well as the protesters on the basis of the counter complaints filed against each other. 8220;While the MC officials have been charged with the animal8217;s murder under Section 429 of the IPC, the residents of Lambian village have been booked under Sections 332 and 353 of the IPC for assault and obstructing officials from discharging their duty,8221; said Station House Officer, Phase VIII, Navneet Kumar.
However, no one has been arrested yet.

The bull8217;s carcass has been preserved and an autopsy will be conducted on Thursday to ascertain the cause of death, added the SHO.

8216;Gross violation8217; of Act
As the news spread, activists of various social, religious and animal rights organisations also joined the protest. The Chandigarh Chapter of People for Animals PFA condemned the 8220;inhumane8221; act and sought the immediate arrest of those involved under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
8220;The incident is a gross violation of the act which bans capture by the sack-and-loop method. It clearly states that animals have to be captured with the help of tranquiliser guns or by any other method, which renders the animal insensitive to pain,8221; said PFA founder trustee Payal Sodhi. 8220;If the authorities do not take proper action, we will launch a mass agitation and will not rest till the administration acts according to the rules,8221; she added.

MC employees angry
Late in the evening, MC employees Ranjit Singh and Piara Singh were admitted to the Mohali Civil Hospital with injuries. Up in arms against the protest, the MC Employees8217; Union announced an indefinite strike and dharna outside the MC Bhawan. Irked MC employees also met Deputy Commissioner Rahul Bhandari to press him for fulfilling their demand.
8220;They are demanding that the attackers be arrested and action be taken against the MC president and local MLA who incited the mob,8221; said municipal councillor Harman Preet Singh Prince.
MC president Rajinder Singh Rana and MLA Balbir Sidhu, however, denied the allegations.