Kidnapped Buffalo In Court:

Once again !!! Here is an incredibly hilarious true incident.... and of course.... It can happen only in India....

Kidnapped buffalo in court
14 Dec 2007, 0111 hrs IST,TNN

HAVERI: This kidnap story ended in court. Nothing unusual about that. But when the victim ambled into the additional civil court's premises here on Thursday under police protection and bellowed, it created headline news.

The case relates to a buffalo kidnapped from one village and taken to another.

When the complainant pleaded that, as an interim measure, the buffalo be given to Kanavalli village as its presence was required for a religious jatra, judge Padmaprasad consented.

Tippanna Mailannavar, a member of the Kanavalli gram panchayat, has been allowed to keep the buffalo until further orders.

Tippanna told The Times of India the male buffalo - presented to the village goddess of Kanavalli in 2005 - was kidnapped on Nov. 18 by residents of Motebennur village to be offered in sacrifice at their jatra.

Basavaraj Kalasur, a member of the Kanavalli temple trust committee, said they needed the buffalo for their village jatra, scheduled for the first week of January. But Bhojaraj Ballary, the main accused, denied kidnapping the bovine and maintained it belonged to their village deity.

Tippanna and others from Kanavalli lodged a complaint with the Guttal police. When no action was forthcoming, he moved the Haveri court.

The judge appointed S M Katagi as court commissioner and asked him to produce the buffalo, along with the vehicle used in the kidnapping, in the court.

In compliance with the judge's order, the buffalo was brought to the court on Thursday. The mute subject of the legal row must be as eager as Kanavalli and Motebennur are to know the final verdict.

Original Article: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Kidnapped_buffalo_in_court/articleshow/2621126.cms