Declare culling of cows nonbailable offence: HC judge

A Hyderabad high court judge on Friday declared the cow as a symbol of motherhood and “sacred national wealth”, and suggested that killing or injuring the animal be made a non-bailable offence.

This is the second instance of a judicial officer seeking stringent punishment against those guilty of cow slaughter in the last fifteen days. On May 31, Justice Mahesh Chandra Sharma of the Rajasthan HC had recommended liwfe imprisonment for such offenders.

In this case, Justice B Siva Sankara Rao sought that Section 429 (mischief by maiming and killing cattle) be amended to make cow slaughter a non-bailable offence. He also wanted the Andhra Pradesh Prohibition of Cow Slaughter and Animals Preservation Act-1977 amended to ensure that veterinary doctors who fraudulently certify healthy cattle as “old and suitable for slaughter” are punished.

The judge made these observations while dismissing an appeal by a cattle trader who wanted the Nalgonda police to return 63 cows and two bulls seized from his house in February. The petitioner, Ramavath Hamuna, had moved the trial court at Nalgonda against the police action. While Hamuna claimed that he had bought the cattle for rearing purposes, police said he meant to sell them to slaughterhouses on Eid.

Citing a Supreme Court order, Justice Rao said it was “not a fundamental right of Muslims to slaughter only healthy cows” during the fest. He then posted the hearing on July 14. Muslim groups refused to react.

SRINIVASA RAO APPARASU