Gujrat: Police makes stray bovine as 'primary suspect' in accident FIR

An unusual incident in Kheda district of Gujrat, specifically in the town of Nadiad (West), has become the talk of the town. The local police have done something unprecedented. Instead of pointing fingers at the owner of a certain black-and-white cow, they’ve squarely blamed the bovine itself as primary suspect for causing an accident last Saturday evening. According to the police report filed in Nadiad (West), a man named Bharat Shah, aged 50 and employed in the private sector, was riding his electric scooter on Zalak Canal Road. Out of nowhere, a stray cow came onto the road, leading to a collision between the cow and Bharat’s scooter. This collision caused Bharat to lose control and suffer severe injuries to his nose and head due to the fall. Dhrumil Shah, a resident of Petlad, filed a report on behalf of his injured uncle, Bharat. The injuries were so grave that Bharat couldn’t even speak. He was initially rushed to a private hospital in Nadiad for treatment but was later transferred to another private hospital in Ahmedabad for further care. In their complaint, the police have invoked sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that deal with causing serious harm through actions endangering life and personal safety. Furthermore, they’ve charged the unknown black-and-white cow, whose owner remains unidentified, with negligence in handling the animal. This unusual decision to label the cow as the wrongdoer has left many in shock. This incident has shed light on the broader problem of stray cattle in the region, a matter that the Gujarat High Court has been actively addressing due to concerns over the authorities’ alleged inefficiencies in tackling this issue.