Buffalo From Bareilly, Dead For 28 Years, Back To Haunt UP Driver, Now 83

In a bizarre case that illustrates the pace of legal proceedings in the country, an 83-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh has received a court summons for running over a buffalo 28 years back.

Acchan retired two decades back after working as a driver and now suffers from paralysis. On Monday, he had some unexpected visitors. A team of Bareilly police reached his Barabanki home and handed over the summons from the court of judicial magistrate. Shocked, Acchan broke down before the cops.

The cops, unsure how to react, asked the elderly man to register his attendance at the court, failing which he will need to be arrested as per the law.

Recounting the 1994 incident that has come back to haunt him, Acchan said he worked as a driver with the Uttar Pradesh transport department. "I had gone to Bareilly to pick up cargo. From there, I went to Faridpur. I was driving at night when a buffalo cart took a sudden turn. The brakes did not work and there was a crash. The buffalo died. I rushed to the Faridpur police station and informed police," the elderly man said.

Acchan said he had received summons on two occasions, but got bail on both occasions. For two decades, he said, the matter had gone completely cold before this sudden development.