Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The 47 buffaloes currently housed at the Bhopal Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Arwalia cattle pound ('Kanji House') have become a growing burden on the civic body, which has spent more than Rs 16 lakh on their fodder over the past 10 months.
With the animals still involved in a court case and therefore ineligible for auction, the BMC is now preparing to hand them back to the Itkhedi police.
The BMC’s Govardhan Project wing has sought permission from senior officials to write to the police, seeking to return the buffaloes and provide details of the expenditure incurred on their upkeep.
According to BMC officials, the Itkhedi police had seized 49 buffaloes since January 2026 after finding them being transported illegally in trucks.
Police registered an action under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and seized both the truck and the animals before producing the case in court.
While the truck was subsequently released, the buffaloes remained at the corporation’s cattle pound as the case continued. The civic body has since been responsible for their care and feeding.
Monthly feeding expenses pile up
According to BMC records, fodder worth more than Rs 16 lakh has been provided to the buffaloes since their seizure.
The Govardhan Project maintains monthly expenditure records, but the corporation has been unable to recover the amount because the animals cannot be disposed of while the case remains pending.
Nine buffaloes died, four calves born
The BMC’s records show that nine of the 49 buffaloes have died since January, while four calves have been born during their stay at the pound.
Officials said that whenever a buffalo died, the Govardhan Project had to inform the Itkhedi police, after which a post-mortem could be conducted only with police permission.
Four buffaloes reportedly died within a recent 45-day period, highlighting the difficulties in maintaining the animals amid inadequate facilities.
BMC plans to return buffaloes
The corporation had earlier proposed auctioning the buffaloes to recover the expenditure incurred on their upkeep.
However, letters seeking permission were sent to the Itkhedi police twice, and permission was denied as the matter is sub judice.
With auction no longer an option, the corporation is now preparing to return the buffaloes to the police and hand over the complete details of the fodder expenditure incurred so far.
