Nepali man sentenced to 12 years in prison for cow slaughter

A district court in Dang, located nearly 280 kilometres west of Kathmandu, sentenced accused Maghe Pun this week after it was established that he had killed a cow belonging to one Lakshmi Pun two months ago.

Updated on: Dec 19, 2014, 14:28:36 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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A court in Nepal has sentenced a man to 12 years in prison for killing a cow.

A district court in Dang, located nearly 280 kilometres west of Kathmandu, sentenced accused Maghe Pun this week after it was established that he had killed a cow belonging to one Lakshmi Pun two months ago.

Cow slaughter is a major crime in Hindu-dominated Nepal where the animal is considered sacred. The maximum punishment for killing a cow is 12 years jail. But while killing a cow is illegal, eating its meat is not.

According to Nepali news website Setopati, the owner of the cow had lodged a police complaint on October 19 that the accused had killed the animal by striking its head with a shovel.

In 2006, another district court in Sankhuasabha had sentenced a 50-year-old woman to 12 years in prison on the same charges. In that case, the court verdict was announced within two weeks of the incident.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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