Caught on CCTV, man arrested for raping seven cows at cattle shelter in Ayodhya

Ayodhya: In a most shocking case of criminal conduct which has come to light from Ayodhya, formerly known as Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh, a man has been arrested for allegedly raping several cows at a cattle shelter in the city. Identified as Rajkumar, the accused hails from Gonda in Nawabganj and frequently visited the shelter in question.

The matter came to light after volunteers aiding with daily chores of the Kartaliya Baba Ashram discovered closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage showing an unknown man raping cows. This prompted the volunteers to keep a close watch on the shelter. Earlier this month, the accused returned to the shelter and attempted to sexually assault the voiceless animals again. However, volunteers waiting for him to return caught hold of him and brutally thrashed him before handing him over to the police.

According to a report by India Today, Rajkumar has been arrested and booked under sections 376 and 511 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). These correspond to charges of animal cruelty, said Ayodhya senior superintendent of police (SSP) Jogendra Kumar. The report added that the accused claims he was under the influence of alcohol and does not remember what he did. He also said that he only remembers being thrashed by volunteers at the cow shelter and police personnel who arrested him.

Meanwhile, a distraught priest of the Kartaliya Baba Ashram, Ramdas said that CCTV footage showed the accused doing "unspeakable acts" with seven cows one by one.

Earlier this year, an animal rights activist based out of Delhi-NCR claimed that police ignore cases where people are accused of raping animals such as stray dogs. In July of last year, reports of eight men allegedly gang-raping a pregnant goat in Mewat area of Haryana sparked massive controversy over the abuse and ill-treatment of voiceless animals in India.