2 weeks Ago
Chennai: An 80-year-old man on his daily evening walk at Ambattur on Saturday suffered serious injuries when a stray cow suddenly charged at him. The incident triggered public anger over the growing menace of stray cattle in the city. CCTV footage of the attack went viral on social media.
The video shows a woman placing a bowl of water on Upper Canal Street. After drinking the water, the cow suddenly turned aggressive and charged at Munusamy, a retired army personnel from Tiruvannamalai district, who was walking nearby. The cow tossed him in the air, leaving him injured.
Passersby rushed to his aid and took him to a nearby private hospital, where he received 14 stitches on his head. His condition is reported to be stable. Despite the severity of the attack, no formal case has been registered yet.
Police have initiated a search to trace the cow's owner. Residents expressed frustration over the recurring menace of stray cattle attacks and the lack of enforcement against negligent cattle owners. They said that while Greater Chennai Corporation revised its penalty structure in July — raising fines from 5,000 to 10,000 for first-time offences and up to 15,000 for repeat violations — implementation on the ground remains weak.
Saturday's attack adds to a list of incidents involving stray cattle across the city. On March 15, in Balaji Nagar, Korattur, a cow charged at a woman walking with her child. The mother was thrown into the air while shielding her daughter.
In Jan, a 52-year-old woman died at Kalattipettai near Kundrathur after falling off a two-wheeler when her son applied the brakes to avoid a stray cow. In Oct last year, a 60-year-old man in Korukkupet broke his leg after a cow attacked him while he was dumping garbage near his home. Residents have urged authorities to crack down on unregulated cattle movement in public spaces before more lives are endangered.
"GCC is well known for knee-jerk reactions; instead, they should plan and allot sufficient vehicles for each zone and introduce cattle patrols to seize the stray cattle," said T K Pandian, social activist..
