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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Hindus protest over cow slaughter | Hindus protest over cow slaughter |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Hundreds of Hindus are to protest over allegations that the RSPCA killed their 13-year-old sacred cow by lethal injection while they worshipped. | Hundreds of Hindus are to protest over allegations that the RSPCA killed their 13-year-old sacred cow by lethal injection while they worshipped. |
| Gangotri, a Belgian blue-jersey cross, was slaughtered at Bhaktivedanta Manor in Hertfordshire. | Gangotri, a Belgian blue-jersey cross, was slaughtered at Bhaktivedanta Manor in Hertfordshire. |
| Vinay Tanna, the temple's spokesman, said they would have taken legal action to prevent the slaughter had they known it was taking place. | Vinay Tanna, the temple's spokesman, said they would have taken legal action to prevent the slaughter had they known it was taking place. |
| Delegates from the temple will protest at RSPCA headquarters in West Sussex. | |
| Mr Tanna said: "We are holding a peaceful prayer protest at the way Gangotri was killed. The RSPCA made the equivalent of a citizen's arrest - they went in and made the decision to kill the cow immediately. Given the chance we would have taken legal action to try to stop it." | Mr Tanna said: "We are holding a peaceful prayer protest at the way Gangotri was killed. The RSPCA made the equivalent of a citizen's arrest - they went in and made the decision to kill the cow immediately. Given the chance we would have taken legal action to try to stop it." |
| Meanwhile, a religious ceremony to mark the end of the mourning period for the cow will be attended by 700 Hindus at the temple. | Meanwhile, a religious ceremony to mark the end of the mourning period for the cow will be attended by 700 Hindus at the temple. |
| Sacrilege | Sacrilege |
| Mr Tanna said: "The Yajna, or fire sacrifice, is held because the killing of a Hindu cow in the temple is very inauspicious indeed." | Mr Tanna said: "The Yajna, or fire sacrifice, is held because the killing of a Hindu cow in the temple is very inauspicious indeed." |
| Two hundred delegates will attend the protest in Southwater, near Horsham, West Sussex. | Two hundred delegates will attend the protest in Southwater, near Horsham, West Sussex. |
| Cows are sacred to Hindus and the killing of one is considered sacrilegious. | Cows are sacred to Hindus and the killing of one is considered sacrilegious. |
| Hindu community leader Gauri Das said police bundled away monks attending to the sick cow and alleged that the head farmer was kept talking while a lethal injection was administered inside the barn. | Hindu community leader Gauri Das said police bundled away monks attending to the sick cow and alleged that the head farmer was kept talking while a lethal injection was administered inside the barn. |
| Mr Das insisted said the cow was sick but had no disease and was being cared for by temple residents and visiting worshippers. | Mr Das insisted said the cow was sick but had no disease and was being cared for by temple residents and visiting worshippers. |
| Suffering | Suffering |
| The temple runs The Cow Protection Project and allows old cows and bulls to die naturally. | The temple runs The Cow Protection Project and allows old cows and bulls to die naturally. |
| In a statement the RSPCA said: "We knew the cow has been suffering from painful and infected sores, her limbs had become wasted and her breathing difficult. | In a statement the RSPCA said: "We knew the cow has been suffering from painful and infected sores, her limbs had become wasted and her breathing difficult. |
| "Three separate vets, including from the Royal College of Vets, from Defra and an independent vet, have all agreed that the animal was suffering and should be immediately euthanised." | "Three separate vets, including from the Royal College of Vets, from Defra and an independent vet, have all agreed that the animal was suffering and should be immediately euthanised." |
| In July Shambo the sacred bullock was killed after testing positive for bovine TB at a temple in Skanda Vale, Carmarthenshire. | In July Shambo the sacred bullock was killed after testing positive for bovine TB at a temple in Skanda Vale, Carmarthenshire. |
| Monks lost a long-running legal challenge to save Shambo and staged a protest ceremony as he was taken away. | Monks lost a long-running legal challenge to save Shambo and staged a protest ceremony as he was taken away. |