NEW DELHI: A plea has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking urgent action to address the issue of stray cows causing havoc on city roads.
The public interest litigation (PIL) highlights the alarming number of PCR calls (25,593) made to the Delhi Police regarding incidents involving stray cows between January 1, 2023, and February 19, 2025. These incidents, which only scratch the surface of the problem, often result in injuries to pedestrians and motorists.
The petition, filed by the Save India Foundation, a registered trust, through Advocate Umesh Sharma, accuses civic authorities of turning a blind eye to an organized syndicate that abandons cows on Delhi’s roads after purchasing them from dairies in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. This collusion with certain MCD officials has led to a proliferation of stray cows in public spaces, posing a significant threat to public safety.
Despite offers of volunteer support from the petitioner organization, authorities have failed to take any meaningful action to address the issue. Transparency regarding the infrastructure in place to manage the large population of stray cows is also lacking, with crucial details such as the number of cow shelters, water facilities, veterinarians, and complaint response mechanisms remaining undisclosed.
The plea further highlights the exploitation of non-milch cows, which are abandoned as strays once they give birth to calves. Owners then reclaim the newborns, selling them to dairies for profit, perpetuating a vicious cycle of exploitation and abandonment. This practice not only poses a danger to public safety but also raises ethical concerns about the treatment of animals in the city.
In light of these issues, the plea urges the Delhi High Court to intervene and compel civic authorities to take immediate action to address the menace of stray cows and prevent their exploitation for profit.
The petition requests that the authorities take immediate and decisive action to address the problem of stray cows on the roads of Delhi. This includes forming a Special Task Force made up of volunteers and ambulances. Additionally, the plea calls for the establishment of more cow shelters and facilities in Delhi to prevent organized syndicates from abandoning cows on the streets. These allegations must be thoroughly investigated and addressed to ensure the safety and well-being of these animals.
