A three-year-old boy was tossed into the air by a stray cow with massive horns as his horrified mother watched on.
Shocking CCTV footage shows the boy playing on the pavement when one of two cows across the road turns towards him.
He lets out a cry and turns his toy car around, but the animal shoves him from behind before his mother can intervene.
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The woman tries to distract the cow, but it headbutts the screaming boy, lifting him into the air.
He lands tumbling onto the road as his mother finally manages to drive the animal away and pick him up.
The terrifying incident unfolded in Sirohi, Rajasthan, India, last Friday evening (11 September), while the boy, Nishant, his mother and his aunt were outside their home.
Nishant reportedly suffered head injuries but is now well, while his mother was also injured while trying to help him, as reported by Need To Know.
Nishant’s father, Durgesh Kumar Rao, has since filed a complaint with local authorities over the large number of stray cows and bulls roaming freely in the area.
The animals are said to frequently chase passers-by, disrupt traffic and even fight among themselves.
Stray cattle are a major issue in India, particularly in parts of northern and central India such as Rajasthan.
Millions of cattle roam freely on streets, roads and around rubbish dumps.
Many are abandoned when they become too old or unprofitable to keep.
Strict cattle-slaughter laws in many states can make getting rid of unwanted animals difficult.
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