ERODE: A cow died in a blast triggered by a country-made bomb in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve here, police said on Saturday.

According to police, the five-year-old cow was part of a herd of five owned by Thayappa, a local farmer in the Diginarai forest area near Thalavadi in STR. The herd is used to grazing inside the forest area. On Friday evening, the ill-fated bovine bit a country-made bomb hidden within the grass and fell down due to injuries on its face and mouth.

The bomb was allegedly kept by some persons in the area to scare wild boars and other animals from straying into their fertile land, police said. Despite the injuries, the cow managed to return to its owner who rushed it to a veterinary doctor in the area for first aid.

However, the cow died there, police said. Thayappa informed the forest officials and police about the incident and a case has been recorded for investigation.