"India's holy cows turn violent"

Spotted by JuliaM in The Telegraph:

India's holy cows are turning out to be vengeful deities, according to new figures showing the number of bovine attacks is on the increase.

New figures show seventeen cases of attacks on people in the first half of this year – more than the total number of bites since 2004. Animal rights groups blamed a sharp increase in the number of people bitten by cows and buffaloes in the capital New Delhi on a surge in building projects which have blocked their traditional grazing routes and left the creatures bewildered and panicked.

Campaigners said many of the cows and buffaloes wandering Delhi's roads are owned and neglected by illegal dairies who are concerned only about their milk production. Vasanti Kumar, of Stray Relief and Animal Welfare (STRAW) said the situation had been created by the failure of local officials to keep cattle off the streets, and by a reverential public which feeds them...

I had assumed that the violence of European cattle may be down to them wanting to get their revenge on us for slaughtering millions of them year and turning them into steaks, which is fair enough, so what excuse do the Indian cattle use? They get worshipped like, er, gods. Is their excuse radical NIMBYism?