A 5-year-old girl was seriously injured after being attacked by a cow while she was playing outside her home in Arjunganj, Lucknow, on July 31. CCTV footage showing the incident, which has since been widely circulated and seen by the media, shows the animal pinning the child against a wall with its horns before throwing her to the ground and repeatedly trampling her.
The girl, Suneina, is a Class 1 student. She was rushed to Civil Hospital following the attack and is being treated there.
A five-year-old girl was seriously injured after a cow attacked her while she was playing outside her home in Arjunganj, Lucknow, on July 31. CCTV footage of the incident shows the cow pinning the child against a wall with its horns before throwing her to the ground and… pic.twitter.com/y1t2iQM6Am
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The incident has raised concerns over the presence of unattended cattle and stray animals in residential areas of Lucknow. Cattle are ubiquitous in the area, and children have been chased by them in the past, the girl's family said.
Suneina was outside her home playing when the cow approached her, according to the family and residents. The cow became aggressive and attacked the child.
The CCTV footage shows the cow pushing Suneina toward a wall and pinning her with its horns. The animal then threw the child to the ground and continued to trample her for nearly a minute.
The child’s screams woke up the residents, who rushed towards the spot after hearing the commotion. Local people used sticks and threw stones to drive the cow away and rescue the girl.
The residents’ quick action stopped the attack and prevented the situation from getting more serious. The child was taken for medical treatment.
The incident has affected families living in the area, particularly parents of children who are going to school there. Unattended cattle are often seen moving through streets and residential lanes, and that can be dangerous to pedestrians, schoolchildren and elderly people, residents said.
The family said the problem had been going on for several years and cattle had previously chased children in the neighbourhood. They said if animals weren’t left unattended in public places, then there would be a stronger response.
Municipal Corporation officials said the cow involved in the incident would be captured. And they said the animal's owner shall be punished for allegedly leaving it unattended, and action would be taken against the animal's owner for allegedly leaving it unattended.
The incident has once again brought into focus the problem of stray and free-roaming cattle in urban areas.
Unattended cattle can pose many risks. Apart from attacks, animals moving through busy roads may cause traffic disruptions and accidents. They may also gather near markets and residential areas in search of food.
Municipal authorities are responsible for responding to stray cattle complaints and taking action under local rules. Yet residents have to contend with delayed responses and repeated return of animals to the same areas.
The latest incident has prompted renewed calls for daily monitoring, stronger enforcement and better systems to identify owners who allow cattle to roam freely.
But the case is also an example of how safe public spaces are for children. Children often play in the home’s residential lanes and with animals, and small animals around without supervision can cause a lot of risk.
Cows are found in many urban and semi-urban communities in a lot of urban and semi-urban areas, but experts say animals get unpredictable when they get scared, stressed, injured, or provoked by fear, stress, or stress and are generally not as well-behaved. Residents are warned to avoid approaching or interacting with aggressive cattle and to contact local authorities if they are confronted or if a dangerous animal is to be handled, and to go to the police, they say.
And in Suneina’s case, the actions of nearby people in a hurry were needed to stop the attack. The CCTV footage has put the seriousness of the incident in the public eye and the need for action by the authorities.
Municipal officials should trace the owner and take action according to the applicable rules. Capture of the cow may also help prevent another incident in that locality.
The girl is now receiving medical care at Civil Hospital. More about her condition is awaited.
The incident has increased residents' demands for a permanent solution to the problem of unattended cattle in Arjunganj and other parts of Lucknow.
As the authorities take action in the case, the case will be the first to come back to the larger debate of civic responsibility, animal ownership and public safety in densely populated urban neighbourhoods.
