Sasthamcotta: In a bizarre incident, a man who came to buy a cow narrowly escaped death after being dragged by a buffalo along a busy road. The incident took place recently at Karalimukku, on the main road between Sasthamcotta and Chavara, when Sunil (39), a resident of Chandanathope in Kollam, arrived at a house in the area along with a helper to purchase a cow.

When he reached the house which was selling the cow, Sunil noticed a buffalo tied with a rope to a small pole on an adjacent plot. As a prank, Sunil made a peculiar sound to attract the attention of the buffalo which provoked the animal and it ran towards him, uprooting the pole and carrying the rope behind it.

Sunil made an attempt to grab the rope to control the buffalo, but failed in the effort. Instead, his feet got entangled in the rope and the buffalo dragged him away to the main road. On the road, a car hit Sunil and he fell. Meanwhile, the buffalo dragged him between vehicles passing in both directions till the next junction. Several local people ran behind the animal and it was finally captured with the help of some shopkeepers, saving Sunil.

A resident of the area said that Sunil was lucky to survive. “A major accident was averted. It was all Sunil’s fault. The buffalo rank amok because he provoked it,” he said.

Sunil, who suffered serious injuries after being dragged along the road, has been admitted to the District Hospital.