Declare cow as a protected animal: HC to Centre

One-liner: The Lucknow bench of Allahabad HC has said that the Centre should take an appropriate decision to ban cow slaughter and declare it as a protected national animal.

Secular country: "We live in a secular country and must have respect for all religions. In Hinduism, the belief is that the cow is the representative of divine and natural beneficence. Therefore, it should be protected and venerated," Justice Shamim Ahmad said.

Plea dismissed: The judge dismissed a plea seeking the quashing of criminal proceedings against a person under the Uttar Pradesh Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955.

No evidence: The petitioner, Mohammad Abdul Khaliq, had pleaded that the police booked him without any evidence and hence the proceedings pending against him in the court of the additional chief judicial magistrate should be quashed.

Case made out: Dismissing the plea, the bench held that from the facts on record, a prima facie (openly) case was made out against the petitioner.