Andhra vs Karnataka: Why Are Two Villages Fighting Over Ownership of a 5-Year-Old Buffalo?

Tirupati: Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka police have managed to resolve a dispute between Bommanahal and Medeha villages on the border of the two states over the ownership of a five-year-old buffalo without the need for a DNA test, which was demanded by both the village groups. The tension in the two border villages for the last couple of days over the issue, was successfully defused on Thursday.

The buffalo was meant for sacrifice during a village jatara scheduled for later this month. People of Bommanahal and Medehal claimed that the animal belonged to them.

The fight of the two villages reached the police, with the villagers demanding a DNA test to sort out the claim. They wanted the DNA sample of the buffalo to be compared with that of its mother, which is with a farmer in a village in Karnataka, to arrive at the ownership of the cattle.

Final Decision by the Police

Cops from either side of the border held meetings with people from both villages as tension escalated and resolved the issue by handling over the buffalo to villagers on the Karnataka side of the border. The villagers on the Andhra side agreed to the decision of police.

The Story of the Lost Buffalo

The Moka police in Karnataka found themselves in a strange situation when villagers from Bommanahal in Bellary district and Medehal village in Halaharvi mandal of Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh approached them to resolve their dispute over the ownership of the buffalo, which was in the custody of Medehal villagers.

Bommanahal villagers told police that the buffalo belonged to them and later they intended to sacrifice it during Goddess Sakkamma Devi fair scheduled later in January.

They also told the police that the mother of the buffalo is at Bommanahal village and they could carry out a DNA test to confirm the ownership of the buffalo. They alleged that the animal had disappeared when it was let out for grazing and it was later on found at Medehal village.

Halaharvi police from Andhra Pradesh, along with Moka police, summoned the groups. " We also warned the people of both villages to end the issue forthwith and not resort to any acts of violence in the future too," he said.