Cow chased with knife after it enters Mangaluru eatery, attempts to eat food items; suo motu case against animal's owner

Mangaluru: An incident involving a cow was reported at a roadside eatery in Mangaluru commissionerate limits, but no formal complaint has been lodged in the matter.

According to Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy, the eatery, owned by a Muslim, was serving customers that included Hindu Maladharis and others. During business hours, a cow reportedly entered the premises and attempted to eat food items kept there.

In an apparent instinctive reaction, the eatery owner tried to chase the animal away using a small knife that he was reportedly using for routine kitchen work such as cutting onions. In the process, the cow sustained a minor injury measuring around one to two inches. 

No customer or local resident filed a police complaint regarding the incident.

"Hindus eating in a Muslim eatery is a great positive sign. Whatever happened appeared to be instinctive," he said. 

He said as per the law, the responsibility of caring for pet or domesticated animals rests with their owners. Injury to an animal amounts to cruelty under the law and is punishable with a fine. 

The police have registered a suo motu case against the owner of the cow for leaving it on the road under dangerous circumstances as well as against the person who hurt it under prevention of cruelty to animals act.