MARGAO
In an incident that brought to the fore the problem of the safety of visitors on the beach, a 79-year-old British woman was gored by a bull on Benaulim beach on Thursday morning, leaving her injured with bleeding leg injuries.
The elderly UK national received 6-7 stitches on her leg and is recuperating at the hospital.
The incident occurred on Thursday morning when a group of British tourists were taking a walk on the Benaulim beach. Suddenly, the bull is believed to have appeared on the beach and started running after being chased by stray dogs. The bull’s horn is believed to have pierced the tourist’s leg before she fell down.
The lifeguard personnel manning the beach rushed to the help of the elderly who lay on the ground with bleeding injuries. She also sustained injuries on her head due to the fall. After administration of first aid, the lady was taken by an ambulance to the South Goa district hospital.
Colva police station in-charge, PI Theron D’Costa informed that no action has been initiated by the police since the injured British woman has declined to lodge a complaint with the police.
There were conflicting reports about the presence of the bull on the beach. While some suspected that the bull got loose from the handlers and attacked the woman, PI D’Costa said preliminary inquiries revealed that the animal was tied to a pole near the owner’s residence, before it got loose and descended on the beach.
“We have found out that the bull started running after a few dogs started barking at it. In the bargain, the animal attacked the woman walking on the beach,” PI D'Costa said.
As news of the incident spread, a chorus of concern resonated on social media, questioning the presence of an unaccompanied bull on a public beach and its potential to endanger visitors.
