Buffalo’s legs chopped off in brutal attack in Gujrat

GUJRAT: Unidentified assailants attacked a farmer’s buffalo in a village near Jalalpur Jattan during the night and severed both of its legs.

The helpless animal’s suffering and the farmer’s despair moved all who witnessed the scene.

Talking to the media, the distraught farmer said: “This buffalo was my only source of livelihood. My family survived on the milk it produced. Now we are left with nothing. I have never seen such cruelty in my life. It was the fruit of my labour and a means of sustenance for my children. Where do we go from here?”

Camel battles for life after brutal abuse by landlord in Sukkur

Police said that an investigation has been launched after registering a case. The police said that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.

Rising trend of targeting animals

This is not the first such case. Earlier, in Islamabad’s Bani Gala area, unknown people poisoned a dairy farmer’s buffaloes, killing 10 within 24 hours. The owner said the animals were worth between Rs7 million and Rs8 million.

Last year, in another Gujrat village, 10 horses belonging to a family residing abroad were poisoned to death, reportedly due to jealousy and a family feud.

According to psychologist Dr Sadia Hussain, such behaviour surfaces when patience and tolerance weaken. “When someone cannot harm their rival directly, they vent their anger on the weak and voiceless,” she explained, calling it a form of psychological illness that intensifies over time.

Renowned sociologist Prof Asif Mahmood termed it “misdirected revenge.”

He said: “Land disputes, family feuds, and social rivalries have existed in rural societies for centuries. Often people target livestock or sources of income to inflict both financial and emotional damage.”

International studies suggest jealousy not only prevents people from helping others but can also push them toward harming them, especially when direct retaliation is not possible.

Experts note that jealousy comes in two forms — one that fosters healthy competition, and another that fuels hatred and destruction.

“When self-control weakens, negative envy dominates, and that is when such emotions turn into acts of violence,” Dr Hussain added.

Experts warn that unless tolerance, justice, and mental well-being are promoted in society, such destructive behaviours will continue to spread.

Cruelty against voiceless animals, they stress, is not just a legal crime but also a social and psychological tragedy that requires not only punishment but also awareness, education, and behavioural reform.