KATHMANDU, Sept 25: Social media users have questioned the rationale behind police personnel shooting a buffalo dead at New Road on Tuesday, accusing the security men of being insensitive toward animal rights.
The buffalo, which was on the loose, ran insanely from Swoyambhu to New Road. It was shot dead by police personnel deployed from the Metropolitan Police Circle, Janasewa at New Road.
Although police officials claimed to have killed the buffalo because it was running insanely, attacking people and posing serious threat to public safety, some people have taken to social media questioning Nepal Police's ability to handle serious situations tactfully.
In pictures: Buffalo on the loose creates panic in Sundhara
Sujan Jung Karki commented on a news report posted on Instagram saying “This is a perfect example of people behaving like animals. The buffalo might have run because it felt insecure about humans trying to harm it. Instead of controlling it in some other way, police officials shot it straight. That's a very cruel act.”
He further wrote, “If it was a dog, cat, cow or any other common animal, people would have protested against it. But since it is just a 'buffalo' I doubt if people actually care about this. If similar case is seen any time in the future, I hope police officials come up with a wise alternative to handle the situation rather than killing it.”
Another Facebook user Narayan Parasad Ghale wrote on a comment box, “I'm sure that the Buffalo might have run to save his own life. No animal harms humans or other creatures without a reason. This is not the first time an animal has been killed this way. It is understandable that it might have harmed people but police officials could have thought of a safer standby.”
This is not the first case when an insanely running animal has been killed by police officials. Earlier this year in February, there was a similar case when a buffalo was killed in Chandragiri Municipality, Kathmandu. The buffalo had caused several causalities, killed two people and injured six others including some police officials. The buffalo that ran insanely from Machhegaun to Dahachowk was killed by police officials at Dahachowk.
Similarly another buffalo was killed at the old building of HAMS hospital in Buddhanagar, Kathmandu on November 2014. Police personnel deployed at the site shot and killed the buffalo inside the hospital premises. Another similar case was witnessed in Sundhara in June 2016, but the animal was taken under control alive.
Some people are also found making fun of such events on social media, but more people have actually voiced the concerns regarding cruelty against animals and have suggested to the authorities to come up with a better alternative if a situation like this arises anytime in the future.
