‘Cow is sacred national wealth’: HC asks Telangana, AP to make killing cows non-bailable offence

The court said that Sections 11 and 26 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 should enhance the punishment to make it on par with Section 429 IPC.

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Stating that cows were “sacred national wealth”, the Hyderabad High Court on Friday directed both the Telugu states of Telangana and Andhra to amend penal laws for killing or maiming cattle, including cows, to make them non-bailable offences.

Justice B Siva Sankara Rao delivered the judgment, dismissing a petition filed by Ramavath Hanuma of Nalgonda.

According to The New Indian Express, the petitioner and several others had kept cows and bulls for slaughtering to distribute the meat on Bakrid. They bought the cows and bulls from farmers. However, the police seized the cattle and registered cases under Sections 5, 6 and 10 of Prohibition of Cows Slaughter and Animal Preservation Act II of 1977 and 11 (1)(b) of Prohibition of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

When the local court ordered the cattle be handed over to Gowshala, the petitioner sought their custody back but the case was dismissed by a trial court in Nalgonda.

The petitioner filed a criminal revision plea before the HC.

“In this country, Bharat, to the majority of population cow is a substitute for mother who, in turn, is a substitute for god. The cow acquires a special sanctity and is called “Aghnya” (not to be slain). Thus, cow is a sacred national wealth and no one can kill or sell it for slaughter,” Justice Siva Sankara Rao was quoted in TNIE.

There is no fundamental right of a Muslims to insist on slaughter of healthy cows on the occasion of Bakrid, the justice quoted a Supreme Court order and said.

The Deccan Chronicle has quoted Justice Siva Sankara Rao directing both governments to take steps to amend Section 429 of the IPC to make the offence non-bailable.

He also added that Sections 11 and 26 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 should enhance the punishment to make it on par with Section 429 IPC.

Dismissing Hanuma's plea, the Times of India quoted the Justice as saying, “Whether a person is entitled to claim interim custody of cows and bulls seized from him when he was allegedly taking them to a slaughter house? This question needs to be posed and answered in view of the national importance of cows which are substitutes to mother and god.”

Meanwhile, the case has been posted to July 7 for hearing.