Aggressive stray bulls terrorise Nurpur residents, authorities unconcerned

Aggressive stray bulls have been terrorising residents of Nurpur town in Himachal Pradesh, chasing people in markets and streets. The Municipal Council (MC), led by Chairperson Niti Mahajan, launched a drive in July that removed seven stray bulls from Ward 4, and Mahajan said the council would “address the issue on priority” during a door‑to‑door campaign ahead of civic elections. Residents complain that no sustained action followed, noting several elderly people have suffered serious injuries and that the animals now roam crowded public places, parks and highways, creating traffic hazards. The Animal Husbandry Department’s lone gaushala at Khajjian remains closed due to highway widening, while the state government has sanctioned Rs 40 lakh to restore it, a request residents urge to be expedited. Earlier state directives for gram panchayats to build cowsheds and a 2015 cattle‑tagging programme have not curbed abandonment, prompting locals to demand faster implementation of shelter projects.