PETA India teams up with police to stop illegal buffalo fights in Maharashtra, ensuring animal welfare is prioritized.
On January 20, they filed a case against some cattle owners in Dombivli for trying to hold a bullfight. They got wind of a bullfighting event called “Bhavya Pashu Pradarshan” through social media and quickly alerted the police, leading to the cancellation of the event in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on January 1.
PETA’s cruelty response coordinator, Virendra Singh, emphasized that forcing animals to fight is not only cruel but also against the law. They also managed to stop a buffalo fight in Tudil, Raigad, on January 12 by notifying the police.
Earlier, on December 25, a buffalo fight was set to happen in Pimpalwadi village to celebrate a political leader’s birthday. Thanks to PETA’s tip-off, the Mahad police stepped in, and the event was called off.
Back in 2014, the Supreme Court banned all staged animal fights for entertainment. However, in May 2023, they allowed Jallikattu, stating it’s part of Tamil Nadu’s cultural heritage. This has raised concerns about political pressure on authorities to allow such events. PETA’s project head, Ashar, noted that these fights often coincide with celebrations, which complicates the issue further.