CCTV footage captures the harrowing moment an elderly man is killed by a stray bull with a single headbutt in India.

The pensioner, Shafiq Ansari from Muzzafarnagar, from Uttar Pradesh, can be seen minding his own business when a wandering cow suddenly struck him from behind, throwing him onto the tarmac and landing on his head.

Ansari sustained fatal head injuries, which then led to his death.

Numerous cattle attacks have been reported in India's most populous state following a prohibition on cow slaughter.

Hindus regard cows as sacred, but farmers and cattle traders—many of whom are Muslims or Dalits—often send their old animals to slaughterhouses when they stop producing milk or are no longer fit for fieldwork.

This practice has made Uttar Pradesh a major exporter of buffalo meat.

When the ban became effective in 2017, farmers and traders were forced to abandon their old and unproductive cows in nearby forests, where they grow hungry and aggressive.

Despite efforts like setting up a government cowshed at Chandan Farm Purkazi to shelter stray cattle, the problem persists and continues to endanger the lives of residents.

They are now calling for more government action to ensure community safety and prevent similar incidents.