NEWSLINKS US EDITION COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
A division bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court has directed the state government not to permit bull races and competitions in different parts of the state.
The bench, comprising Chief Justice Satyabrata Sinha and Justice V V S Rao, passed the order on Friday on a public interest petition filed by advocate M R M Chalapathi Rao.
The petitioner's contention was that bull races and boulder dragging competitions, scheduled to be held on April 18 at Kotappakonda village in Guntur district, were contrary to Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and also violative of Articles 48 and 51 (Q) and the Directive Principles of State Policy envisaged in the Constitution of India.
The petitioner claimed that the bulls were made to pull heavy boulders and tortured to make them run fast to beat the competition at the races to be held during the Kotappakonda festival.
He said that when he was working as Joint Director of Agriculture at Guntur, he had taken up the issue with the authorities but there was no action. He also pointed out that an animal rights activist Peela Ramakrishna made efforts to stop the races and competitions held in Guntur, Krishna, Prakasam and Kurnool districts, but in vain.
The petitioner said that in the state-level bull races at Kotappakonda, the bulls were made to drag boulders weighing two to four tonnes. He said that the bulls were subjected to undue cruelty before, during and after the races.
He contended that the law enforcing authorities such as police, revenue and animal husbandry officials remained silent spectators to the brutal treatment and they failed to enforce the law.
He sought a direction to put a full stop to this cruel practice.
The division bench directed the state Government and the Collector and Superintendent of Police of Guntur district not to permit bull races and competitions at Kotappakonda village.
The bench also directed the Secretary, Animal Husbandry Department, to take steps to stop the races all over the state, particularly in Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and Kurnool districts.
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
