In Tikamgarh district of MP, primary school converted into cow shelter

Stray cows destroyed plants and kitchen garden of a government primary school after district administration officers forcefully converted the school into a cowshed in Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh, 270 km north of Bhopal, villagers have alleged.

According to villagers in Madanpur, police and district administration recovered 129 cows, which were being illegally transported from Tikamgarh district on Friday night. Later, the authorities gathered about 150 more stray cows to shift the bovines in a shelter in Papora village on Friday night.

“In the absence of any space for extra cows at the shelter, the officers of district administration broke the lock of the main gate of Government Primary School, Madanpur and shifted the cows in the school. We tried to stop them, but they didn't listen to us,” said Jitendra Lodhi, a villager of Madanpur village.

More than 200 cows destroyed the kitchen garden and at least 100 plants of flowers, fruits and medicinal plants in the school premises, which won many awards for the infrastructure and beautification at district and state level said Asharam Kushwaha, a school teacher.

“The school was in a very poor condition a few years ago. We have developed the school premises to attract the students and to enhance the knowledge of students about flowers and plants. Even in the lockdown, I used to take care of the garden but the cows destroyed everything,” said the school teacher.

However, Tikamgarh district collector Subhash Dwivedi said, “The cows had been shifted to school premises for the safety of both bovine and people. It is true that cows destroyed the plants but now, we will do plantation of at least 100 plants with horticulture department officials in the school premises.”

“We have also made an arrangement of six trucks to shift the cows at different shelters of the district,” he added.

Madhya Pradesh’s cow cabinet and animal husbandry department minister Prem Singh Patel, said, “I have sought a report from the district. Further action will be taken on the basis of the report.”