Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, May 14: Chairman of Dakshina Kannada Milk Union, Raviraj Hegde, has urged the superintendents of police of both Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts to take steps to minimize incidents of theft of cows. He pointed out that there has been widespread theft of cows all over coastal Karnataka.

"Farmers from the twin-district have adopted dairying as a primary activity along with agriculture. They have bought costly cows of high yielding variety, by raising loans either from banks or other sources, and selling the milk to milk societies. However, there has been disturbing increase in the cases of theft of cows from the cattle sheds and also from spots where they are left for grazing. There have also been cases in which the thieves threatened the dairy farmers or posed life threats, and forcibly took away their cows. Although complaints about these incidents were filed in the local police stations, none of the owners of these cows have got any clue about where their cattle have gone," he pointed out.

He stated that because of such incidents, dairy farmers have been losing interest in dairying activity. Therefore, he has urged the superintendents of police to evince interest in these cases, and pass on directions to police stations where these complaints have been filed, to take suitable steps against those involved with stealing of cows and such other crimes, and to see that the theft of cows comes to a standstill here.

Some of the distressed dairy farmers due to these activities are, Benny D'Souza from Pudu society, Kalyani, member of Naringana society, Deena Elcy Saldanha of Neermarga society, Vimala from Kallamundkoor, Lilly Monteiro from Panja, Mookkoor Ganesh Shetty, Sanjeeva Gowda Idkidu, Sanjeevi Shetty from Bandsale in Udupi cistrict, and Bharati from Bidkalkatte near Kundapur.