Mangaluru: Inspectors authorised by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) filed 17 non-cognisable offence complaints at the Mulki police station in Mangaluru district on Friday after apparently witnessing cruelty to buffalos at the Mulki Arasu Kambala event. Last week, 21 non-cognisable offence complaints and one First Information Report (FIR) of a cognisable offence were filed at the Karkala rural police station in Udupi district after a Kambala event at Baradi village.
The activists said that both the Kambala events violated a Supreme Court ruling and several laws, including sections of the Indian Penal Code, The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act 1960, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Transport of Animals on Foot) Rules 2001, Prevention of Cruelty to Drought and Pack Animals Rules 1965, and the Performing Animals (Registration) Rules 2001.
The alleged violations in Mulki Kambala included use of nose ropes, animals being hit, buffaloes forced to get up and participate in the event, unequal sized buffalos hitched together, young animals forced to run and loud sounds by the people that scared the animals.
“Kambala races, where buffaloes are forced to run out of fear and threat of physical abuse, have no place in a civilised society. The Supreme Court has already confirmed that,” said PeTA India Director of Veterinary Affairs Dr Manilal Valliyate. “The inspectors have found that no regulation can truly prevent harm to buffalo in these cruel events,” he added. Kambala organisers are obviously unhappy with the activists, and have decided to approach the court.
“They raise objection to simple issues and have started filing complaint with the police. We are holding Kambala as per High Court directions without any cruelty. Despite this, these activists of Animal Welfare Board of India raise trivial issues. They are creating nuisance and we are hurt by this,” Kambala Committee president Bhaskar Kotian told Deccan Chronicle.“As per the court directions, the tahsildar and officials from the animal husbandry and police departments attend Kambala to see if the animals are treated cruelly. None of them have raised any objection, and if they have not seen any violation, how can the activists file police complaints,” he asked.
