Cows are very important to Hindus because they are considered to be like mothers. Mothers give their babies milk, which is one of the most important things for growing up and staying healthy. Krishna, a central Hindu deity, is often portrayed in stories recounting his life as a cowherd and referring to him as the child who protects cows.
On Wednesday, a 29-year-old man named Pradyut Bhuiya was arrested by the West Bengal Police for allegedly raping a pregnant cow. The incident in Parganas district. The incident came to light after the cow’s owner filed a complaint against the accused at the city police station.
According to the reports, the cow bearing a child was raped at midnight. The cow belonged to the neighbor of the accused identified as Aarti Bhuiya.
Reports mention that the accused has been a troublesome person and there are numerous allegations against the accused.
In the present case, the West Bengal Police has arrested Pradyut Bhuiya and have charged him under section 377 of the Indian Penal Code.
In Karnataka
A similar incident was reported from Karnataka when a 34-year-old resident named Manjunath of Gejjalagere village near Maddur town in Mandya district was arrested for having unnatural sex with cows.
While crimes against women in India continue to increase, it looks like even deities like animals aren’t safe.
The Religious and spiritual importance of Cow
A cow is not a mere animal for Hindus. They consider the Cow as an adobe of 33 crore Hindu Deities and hence Cow is considered sacred in Hindu Dharma. A cow has been treated as auspicious and also a symbol of compassion and piousness. The cow is treated as the highest and most pious animal and is given the utmost importance, being at the apex of the Animal world. The belief is that one can attain salvation (Moksha) by worshipping the Cow and serving her and both Lord Krishna and Balram spearheaded the “Cow worship and preservation” culture. The first Jain Tirthankar, Adinath was also named as Vrashbh meaning ‘Oxen Sorub’. Of all beings, the Cow is treated, in India, as the most sacred and sanctified. This sense of the unique sacredness of the Cow is expressed in the works of ancient Indian Rishis (like in the Vedas, Smritis, Srutis, Puranas, etc., as well as in later literature and folklore.
This is not the first case of rape of a cow. In 2021 a shocking case of heinous acts against a cow came to light in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. E-rickshaw driver Shoaib was caught red-handed doing falsework with a cow. Rape is one of the most dreadful crimes and now seeing it happen to animals as well signifies the falling morale of society.
