Eleven cattle killed on highway at Loliem

Canacona: Eleven stray cattle were found killed by an unknown vehicle on Saturday at Madditolop in Loliem panchayat, along National Highway 66.

According to an onlooker at a nearby petrol pump, around 3am, he heard the sound of something being hit by a vehicle. When he went to check, he found 11 stray cattle on and along the highway struggling from their injuries. However, they succumbed to the injuries soon after.

Former Loliem-Polem panch Santan Costa told TOI, “It is unfortunate to see the cattle die like this. If police patrolling had been present, they could have driven away these stray cattle on the highway, and such a tragedy could have been averted. I inquired with the police officer at Canacona police station why the patrolling staff cannot drive them away during their night patrols. He answered that the patrol vehicles are directly under the control of the deputy inspector general (DIG). Hence, the villagers call upon the DIG to instruct his staff on night duty to be mindful of such obstruction so that lives are saved.”

Last week, seven cattle were similarly killed in separate accidents.

It may be recalled that the stray cattle issue has remained unresolved in Canacona, even as several accidents have been reported in recent years. In 2021, as many as 13 stray cattle were struck by a Haryana-based truck near the Gulem petrol pump, of which eleven died.

A local said the problem has been more evident along the Manohar Parrikar bypass at Bhagatwada and on the stretches of the old service road, including Shristhal, Ardhofond and Aframent.

At these locations, cattle are often seen on the roads, especially early morning and late at night, posing serious safety risks.“Drivers and pedestrians are forced to navigate dangerously around these squatted animals,” the local said.