LSN News › India

World · India Bureau

Bihar Police Turn to DNA Testing to Resolve Buffalo Ownership Dispute

In an unusual move, law enforcement in Bihar has decided to conduct DNA analysis on a buffalo at the centre of a property dispute between two rival claimants. The investigation marks an unconventional approach to resolving livestock ownership conflicts.

LSN India · 26 August 2026

Bihar Police Turn to DNA Testing to Resolve Buffalo Ownership Dispute

Police in Bihar have announced plans to conduct a DNA test on a buffalo that has become the subject of an ownership dispute between two individuals, each asserting their rightful claim to the animal. The decision reflects growing reliance on scientific methods to settle property-related disagreements in the state.

The dispute arose when both parties presented documentation and evidence supporting their respective ownership claims. Unable to resolve the matter through conventional investigative procedures, authorities determined that genetic testing would provide definitive proof of the buffalo's lineage and previous ownership history.

The DNA test is expected to establish the animal's parentage and breeding records, which could help trace its legitimate owner. Officials hope the scientific approach will provide conclusive evidence to settle the disagreement without prolonged legal proceedings.

The move underscores an emerging trend among law enforcement agencies across India to employ advanced forensic techniques in resolving civil disputes, particularly in rural areas where livestock ownership cases remain common. The outcome of this particular case may set a precedent for how similar disputes are handled in Bihar and potentially other states.