Temple bull Shambos supporters threaten to form human chain to stall his death

Hindu supporters of a temple bull --Shambo -- have threatened to form a human chain to save the sacred bull from almost certain death, after Court of Appeal judges turned down an 11th-hour plea for clemency.

London, July 24 : Hindu supporters of a temple bull --Shambo -- have threatened to form a human chain to save the sacred bull from almost certain death, after Court of Appeal judges turned down an 11th-hour plea for clemency.

An online petition against his death has attracted over 17,000 names.

The fate of the six-year-old bullock has been in the balance since testing positive for bovine tuberculosis earlier this year. According to official regulations, Shambo must be put down to stop the infection spreading, reports, the Daily Mail.

Shambo's Hindu monk keepers at the Skanda Vale Temple near Carmarthen in West Wales insist he is a revered animal which must not be killed.

They fought a slaughter order served by the Welsh Assembly. Last week, it appeared their determination to save the Friesian had been rewarded when a High Court judge ruled the decision to destroy the temple bull was unlawful.

The monks had claimed killing Shambo was a breach of their human rights as it interfered with their religious beliefs. On Monday, however, the Court of Appeal ordered the slaughter notice be reinstated.

Lord Justice Pill, sitting with two other judges, said former rural affairs minister Jane Davidson acted lawfully when she refused to make an exception for Shambo.

ANI