Mystery Over Missing Racehorses

Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has confirmed that 108 horses belonging to Hitha Net Pvt Ltd were housed at the Nawab stable in Hyderabad Race Club.

Out of these, GHMC officials said eight were reported dead and 37 were donated to the Race Club. “The remaining 63 horses were transported out of Telangana without any official intimation to the civic body, which prompted prosecution of the owners under Section 540 of the GHMC Act on April 28,” they said.

The officials also claim that GHMC had learnt about the unauthorised transfer of 63 horses after the civic body officials conducted a field inspection at the stable, following a complaint. The stable, however, was vacated by then.

“We were not informed when the horses were shifted. We have taken video recordings and found the premises empty,” said an official.

The civic body maintains that only 108 horses were ever declared to them, based on documents and certificates submitted by Hitha Net. The claims of 154 horses being kept on-site, as alleged in multiple online posts and complaints, do not reflect in GHMC’s official records. The GHMC officials say they have no knowledge of the final destination or condition of the rest.

Hyderabad Race Club’s chief operating officer Kiran Reddy confirmed that while 116 horses originally came under Hitha Net’s care in 2023, a few were retired over time and at least three were purchased by the Race Club. He also denied reports of starvation or neglect.

“When GHMC officials visited, they found the horses healthy. There was no complaint from our side. Whenever veterinary assistance was sought, we provided it,” he explained.

The sequence of transfers and lack of accountability has triggered broader concerns after it emerged that only 49 horses had reached Jabalpur. Their transport route included a stop at Raipur.

A public interest litigation filed in Madhya Pradesh earlier this week cites the case as an example of gross negligence. The PIL seeks an independent audit of horse transfers across states and demands clarity on the current status of missing or potentially deceased animals.

If 108 horses were indeed housed as per records, and only 49 are now traceable in Jabalpur, it leaves at least 22 horses presently unaccounted for.

Important Points:

GHMC officials claim that there were only 108 horses at Nawab stable in Hyderabad Race Club.

Of these, eight horses died, 37 donated to the race club and 63 were illegally transported out of Telangana.

If the total horses stationed at the stable were 108 and not 154, and if only 49 horses reached Jabalpur and not 63 as stated by GHMC, the fate of 22 horses remains shrouded in mystery.