Cows disrupt traffic on busy ORR, milkman lands in soup | Bengaluru News
Bengaluru: The tech corridor stretch of Outer Ring Road (ORR) faced an unusual traffic nuisance on Monday morning—not a breakdown or pothole, but a herd of cows that had turned the busy road near Kalamandir Junction in Marathahalli into a grazing ground.The bovine roadblock has landed their owner, Santosh E, a milkman, in trouble. Airport Road traffic police have booked him under the law dealing with “danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation”. He will now have to appear before a local court and pay the fine imposed to close the case.Police said this was not an isolated incident. They had been receiving complaints about cows straying onto the busy ORR, slowing traffic and leaving office-goers reaching for their phones. Photos and videos of the bovine blockade had also begun circulating on social media.On Monday morning, another complaint came in. Traffic police staffer Nagendra N reached the spot and found eight to 10 cows scattered along different stretches of the ORR, some standing and others strolling through traffic. After speaking to locals familiar with the herd’s movements, police identified the owner and summoned him to the spot. He promptly arrived and took the cows home. But this time, the police decided the warning phase was over.Santosh was booked, with police making it clear that the next bovine road trip could have serious consequences. If the cows are found back on the roads, officers warned, they could be seized. Police said they would file the chargesheet in the coming days, after which Santosh will have to appear in court and pay the fine imposed by the judge.Traffic cops admit that stray cattle are a major problem on several important roads. In the last week of June, police registered an FIR against unidentified livestock owners after a herd of cows brought traffic to a standstill near Market Circle in KR Market.The animals were not merely causing congestion but also posing a serious safety hazard around SJP Road and neighbouring areas. Police said commuters had met with accidents after cows suddenly charged onto the road while fighting among themselves or collided with passing vehicles. Even those trying to shoo them away were not spared, with shopkeepers and assistants reportedly being attacked.The cattle also leave dung on roads and pavements, creating further inconvenience for pedestrians.Eom
