Why India can't contain 5 million destructive yet beloved stray cows, which killed 900 people in the last four years

James PasleyApr 17, 2023, 16:56 IST

An abandoned cow seen in the middle of the road, causing trouble to the motorists on a busy road in India.Shankar Narayan/Hindustan Times/Getty Images

About 5 million stray cattle roam India, eating garbage, causing car accidents, attacking people, and spreading disease.
Farmers are turning to artificial insemination to control numbers, and the government opened housing sheds across the country.

There are more than 5 million stray cattle roaming the streets of India.

The cow is a holy animal in the Hindu religion, but stray cattle — mostly abandoned males — have been causing chaos in India. There are frequent reports of cattle attacking people, causing car accidents, and spreading disease.

The increasing number of strays is due to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tightening slaughter restrictions over the last decade. New technology also allowed farmers to need fewer cattle and often let their unnecessary cattle go.

India has a whole lot of cattle — it is the second-largest producer of beef in the world and the largest producer of milk in the world.

Here's why there are so many strays.

There are 1.3 billion people in India and about 1 billion of them are Hindu. Hinduism is a decentralized religion, but its mythology often refers to cows and their nourishing, sacred role in society.

Devotees worship a cow during the Gopashtami festival dedicated to Hindu deity Krishna and cows.Narinder Nanu/Getty Images

There are 1.3 billion people in India and about 1 billion of them are Hindu. Hinduism is a decentralized religion, but its mythology often refers to cows and their nourishing, sacred role in society.

Although it's nothing new to see stray cattle wandering through towns or down highways in India, in recent years, things have been getting out of control.

A stray cow walks on a busy road in India in 2014.Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP

Cattle have been gathering at garbage dumps.

Cows graze in a dump in India in 2022.Vishal Bhatnagar/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Or taking a dip in the River Ganges.

A stray cow stands next to the River Ganges during the Ganga Dussehra festival in 2020.Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP

Over the last decade, the situation appears to have gotten worse. There are now about 5 million stray cattle across India. They are mostly males and often in bad condition — either starving or injured after getting hit by cars.

A stray cow walks among Hindu devotees in 2013.Manish Swarup/AP

Over the last decade, the situation appears to have gotten worse. There are now about 5 million stray cattle across India. They are mostly males and often in bad condition — either starving or injured after getting hit by cars.

Until fairly recently, most Indian farmers slaughtered unnecessary cattle. Muslims, of which there are 200 million in India, also openly consumed beef since it was a fairly cheap source of protein.

A group of Indian men wrapped in woolen clothes are joined by stray cows as they try to warm themselves around a bonfire.Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP

Until fairly recently, most Indian farmers slaughtered unnecessary cattle. Muslims, of which there are 200 million in India, also openly consumed beef since it was a fairly cheap source of protein.

But over the last few decades that's begun to change as Hindu nationalists campaigned aggressively for the government to do more to protect cows.

Villagers sit along a road with stray cows after a flood in India in 2020.David Talukdar/NurPhoto/Getty Images

The issue was taken up by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was elected in 2014. Since it is mostly Muslims and minority groups that slaughter cattle and eat beef, the issue appealed to his right-wing Hindu party.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets his cabinet colleagues as he arrives on the opening day of the winter session of the Parliament, in New Delhi, India, on December 7, 2022.AP Photo/Manish Swarup

The issue was taken up by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was elected in 2014. Since it is mostly Muslims and minority groups that slaughter cattle and eat beef, the issue appealed to his right-wing Hindu party.

Most dairy cows live up for up to 15 years, but they usually stop producing milk after seven years. Every year in India, around 3 million cows in India stop producing milk.

A woman milking a cow in a Village of Delhi, India, in July 2018.Nasir Kachroo/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Most dairy cows live up for up to 15 years, but they usually stop producing milk after seven years. Every year in India, around 3 million cows in India stop producing milk.

But now, since they can't slaughter cattle they don't need, farmers are simply releasing male calves and unproductive older females.

wo women walk with a cow in India in 2019.Tauseef Mustafa/AFP/Getty Images

New technology has also played a part in the country's boom in stray cattle. Only decades ago, male cattle were vital on a farm — they plowed fields and provided manure.

A farmer plows his field using cows in India in 2020. This is no longer the norm.Anuwar Hazarika/NurPhoto/Getty Images

New technology has also played a part in the country's boom in stray cattle. Only decades ago, male cattle were vital on a farm — they plowed fields and provided manure.

But with the development of tractors and chemical fertilizers, they are now largely unnecessary.

A farmer plows his field with a tractor in India in 2021.Manjunath Kiran/AFP/Getty Images

Stray cattle might not sound — or look — too alarming, but when the number gets into the millions, it creates problems.

A group of children playing with a stray cow in India in 2015.Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP

They often don't get fed enough and become aggressive. There are regular local news stories about people being mauled by bulls on the street — some have been killed and some have been severely injured.

A cow walks through a town in India.Veronique Durruty/ Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images

They often don't get fed enough and become aggressive. There are regular local news stories about people being mauled by bulls on the street — some have been killed and some have been severely injured.

Stray cattle also cause car crashes. Between 2018 and 2022, in the Indian state of Haryana, more than 900 deaths were caused by cattle on roads.

Stray cows roam on a busy road in India in 2014.Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP

Stray cattle can carry diseases. Farmers have been known to release diseased cattle since they can't cull them, which can lead to outbreaks.

Workers remove dead cows after lumpy skin disease outbreak in cattle at a farm in India in 2022.Vishal Bhatnagar/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Stray cattle also raid crops. About 85% of farmers in India own no more than two hectares of land, meaning any damage to their crops has long-term impacts.

Farmers stand on a farm protected by fencing in 2019.Money Sharma/AFP/Getty Images

Instead, many farmers must guard their farms overnight to ensure cattle don't eat anything.

Indian cattle caretakers stand beside stray cattle in 2019.Money Sharma/AFP/Getty Images

Many people are afraid to take things into their own hands. Aside from the government's ban, cow vigilante groups enforce the ban by killing people who violate it, according to Bloomberg.

A volunteer for a cow vigilante group that enforced a ban on beef slaughtering explains the ban to a driver in India in 2015.Chandan Khanna/AFP/Getty Images

Many people are afraid to take things into their own hands. Aside from the government's ban, cow vigilante groups enforce the ban by killing people who violate it, according to Bloomberg.

What makes the situation even worse is that in the majority of these cases, local police failed to follow up. At times, they have even been accused of being complicit in the crimes, according to Human Rights Watch.

Volunteers for a vigilante group that enforced a ban on beef slaughtering inspect a truck in India in 2015.Chandan Khanna/AFP/Getty Images

What makes the situation even worse is that in the majority of these cases, local police failed to follow up. At times, they have even been accused of being complicit in the crimes, according to Human Rights Watch.

In Uttar Pradesh, locals are required to report any dead cows to the local authorities. Any deaths that raise suspicion require a post-mortem.

Cows beside the River Ganges in Uttar Pradesh in 2020.Subhendu Sarkar/LightRocket/Getty Images

Between 2014 and 2016, Modi's government also spent about $41 million building cow sheds called gaushalas to hold stray cattle. There are now more than 5,000 gaushalas across India. But, according to the BBC, it's not enough.

Cows in bad condition are crowded together at the Hingonai Cow Rehabilitation Center in 2016.Vishal Bhatnagar/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Between 2014 and 2016, Modi's government also spent about $41 million building cow sheds called gaushalas to hold stray cattle. There are now more than 5,000 gaushalas across India. But, according to the BBC, it's not enough.

There's a push to start turning cow urine and dung into medicinal remedies, which, although not new in India, is not backed by science.

A woman sits behind medicine made from cow urine that is believed to treat cancer and kidney problems. Cow urine has not been scientifically proven as a medicine.Sam Panthaky/AFP/Getty Images

Vallabh Kathiria, the former chairman of India's agency to protect and promote cows, told National Geographic the plan was to make stray cows into a symbol of something good.

Stray cows were seen on a highway during the pandemic in 2020.Sanjeev Verma/Hindustan Times/Getty Images

Vallabh Kathiria, the former chairman of India's agency to protect and promote cows, told National Geographic the plan was to make stray cows into a symbol of something good.

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Why India can't contain 5 million destructive yet beloved stray cows, which killed 900 people in the last four years

There are 1.3 billion people in India and about 1 billion of them are Hindu. Hinduism is a decentralized religion, but its mythology often refers to cows and their nourishing, sacred role in society.

Although it's nothing new to see stray cattle wandering through towns or down highways in India, in recent years, things have been getting out of control.

Cattle have been gathering at garbage dumps.

Or taking a dip in the River Ganges.

Over the last decade, the situation appears to have gotten worse. There are now about 5 million stray cattle across India. They are mostly males and often in bad condition — either starving or injured after getting hit by cars.

Until fairly recently, most Indian farmers slaughtered unnecessary cattle. Muslims, of which there are 200 million in India, also openly consumed beef since it was a fairly cheap source of protein.

But over the last few decades that's begun to change as Hindu nationalists campaigned aggressively for the government to do more to protect cows.

The issue was taken up by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was elected in 2014. Since it is mostly Muslims and minority groups that slaughter cattle and eat beef, the issue appealed to his right-wing Hindu party.

Most dairy cows live up for up to 15 years, but they usually stop producing milk after seven years. Every year in India, around 3 million cows in India stop producing milk.

But now, since they can't slaughter cattle they don't need, farmers are simply releasing male calves and unproductive older females.

New technology has also played a part in the country's boom in stray cattle. Only decades ago, male cattle were vital on a farm — they plowed fields and provided manure.

But with the development of tractors and chemical fertilizers, they are now largely unnecessary.

Stray cattle might not sound — or look — too alarming, but when the number gets into the millions, it creates problems.

They often don't get fed enough and become aggressive. There are regular local news stories about people being mauled by bulls on the street — some have been killed and some have been severely injured.

Stray cattle also cause car crashes. Between 2018 and 2022, in the Indian state of Haryana, more than 900 deaths were caused by cattle on roads.

Stray cattle can carry diseases. Farmers have been known to release diseased cattle since they can't cull them, which can lead to outbreaks.

Stray cattle also raid crops. About 85% of farmers in India own no more than two hectares of land, meaning any damage to their crops has long-term impacts.

Instead, many farmers must guard their farms overnight to ensure cattle don't eat anything.

Many people are afraid to take things into their own hands. Aside from the government's ban, cow vigilante groups enforce the ban by killing people who violate it, according to Bloomberg.

What makes the situation even worse is that in the majority of these cases, local police failed to follow up. At times, they have even been accused of being complicit in the crimes, according to Human Rights Watch.

In Uttar Pradesh, locals are required to report any dead cows to the local authorities. Any deaths that raise suspicion require a post-mortem.

Between 2014 and 2016, Modi's government also spent about $41 million building cow sheds called gaushalas to hold stray cattle. There are now more than 5,000 gaushalas across India. But, according to the BBC, it's not enough.

There's a push to start turning cow urine and dung into medicinal remedies, which, although not new in India, is not backed by science.

Vallabh Kathiria, the former chairman of India's agency to protect and promote cows, told National Geographic the plan was to make stray cows into a symbol of something good.