Protests after sacred cow slaughter

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The RSPCA was accused of secretly killing Gangotri, a 13-year-old Belgian blue-jersey cross, by lethal injection at Bhaktivedanta Manor in Hertfordshire.

The temple's spokesman, Vinay Tanna, said: "We are holding a peaceful prayer protest at the way Gangotri was killed. The RSPCA made the equivalent of a citizen's arrest - they went in and made the decision to kill the cow immediately. Given the chance we would have taken legal action to try to stop it."

The temple is sending 200 delegates to the RSPCA headquarters in Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex.

Meanwhile, a religious ceremony to mark the end of the mourning period for the cow will be attended by 700 Hindus at the temple. Mr Tanna said: "The Yajna, or fire sacrifice, is held because the killing of a Hindu cow in the temple is very inauspicious indeed."

Cows are sacred to Hindus and the killing of one is considered sacrilege.

Hindu community leader Gauri Das said said police bundled away monks attending to the sick cow. The head farmer was kept talking while a lethal injection was administered inside the barn. He said the cow was sick but had no disease, and was being cared for by temple residents and visiting worshippers.

The temple runs The Cow Protection Project and allows old cows and bulls to die naturally.

In a statement, the RSPCA said: "We knew the cow has been suffering from painful and infected sores, her limbs had become wasted and her breathing difficult.

"Three separate vets, including from the Royal College of Vets, from Defra and an independent vet, have all agreed that the animal was suffering and should be immediately euthanised."