This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/7160055.stm

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Hindus protest over cow slaughter Hindus protest over cow slaughter
(about 9 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 staged a 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. The group was accused of secretly putting down a Belgian blue-jersey cross, while Hindus at Bhaktivedanta Manor, Herts, were at prayer.
Vinay Tanna, the temple's spokesman, said they would have taken legal action to prevent the slaughter had they known it was taking place. But the RSPCA denied the allegation, stating they informed staff on site "exactly" what would happen.
Delegates from the temple will protest at RSPCA headquarters in West Sussex. It added that it avoided killing the cow during prayer hours.
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." Some 200 delegates were sent to RSPCA headquarters in Horsham, Surrey, on Wednesday after the cow called Gangotri was given a lethal injection. Another 700 Hindus held prayers at the Manor.
Meanwhile, a religious ceremony to mark the end of the mourning period for the cow will be attended by 700 Hindus at the temple. 'Considered sacrilege'
Sacrilege Vinay Tanna, temple spokesperson, said: "The RSPCA professes to be a compassionate organisation, but their starting point is to kill first. Ours is to tend the animal's needs and treat it to get better.
Mr Tanna said: "The Yajna, or fire sacrifice, is held because the killing of a Hindu cow in the temple is very inauspicious indeed." "Gangotri was taken care of by two herdsmen 24 hours a day, and was under the supervision of two vets, both of whom did not recommend the cow be euthanised."
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 sacrilege.
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.
Mr Das insisted said the cow was sick but had no disease and was being cared for by temple residents and visiting worshippers.
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. Gangotri was described by Hindu community leader Gauri Das as being sick but not suffering from any disease.
"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." The RSPCA said it was sympathetic towards to representatives of Bhaktivedanta Manor, but that it put animal welfare first.
In July Shambo the sacred bullock was killed after testing positive for bovine TB at a temple in Skanda Vale, Carmarthenshire. 'Put to sleep'
Monks lost a long-running legal challenge to save Shambo and staged a protest ceremony as he was taken away. In a statement, it said: "It is sad we had to take this action, but the most important things was that this animal was suffering and to allow this situation to continue would have been wrong.
"The RSPCA acted on the advice of three competent veterinary surgeons, all of which concurred that the animal was suffering and should be euthanised immediately.
"The cow was put to sleep under veterinary supervision and the method used was completely humane, causing the cow no extra suffering.
"The allegation of a history of mercy killings is entirely unsubstantiated. The RSPCA puts animals to sleep only as a last resort and then only to prevent them suffering further."