Three men arrested for organising horse-cart race on Mum-Ahm highway

The animal protection group said that they shared a video showing the men mercilessly whipping and beating horses, forcing them to run amidst the chaos of noisy motorcycles and shouting riders

Mumbai: Three men were arrested on Sunday for allegedly organising and participating in an illegal horse-cart race on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway on Saturday night. The police rescued six horses who were subjected to cruelty and were used for the race.

Three men arrested for organising horse-cart race on Mum-Ahm highway

Horse-cart race, formally known as harness racing, is a game where horses pull a lightweight cart called a sulky with a driver riding behind them. Animal rights advocates often raise concerns about the welfare of the horses in such games. For example, in some cases, horses might be subjected to illegal or inappropriate medications to enhance performance leading to long-term health consequences. The riders often beat the horses mercilessly leading to injuries.

According to the Kashigaon police, they acted on a complaint filed by a non -governmental organisation, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, which had alerted them about the race. After submitting a complaint to Madhukar Pandey, the commissioner of police, Mira Bhayander-Vasai-Virar (MBVV), PETA India collaborated closely with Avinash Ambure, deputy commissioner of police, after which an FIR was registered under sections 291 (negligent handling of animals), 281 (punishment for rash driving), 125 (endanger a person’s life), and 3(5) (multiple people committing crime with a common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita along with sections 11(1)(a) (treating animals cruelly) and 11(1)(l) (failure to provide basic needs) of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960.

The officers said that they reviewed videos submitted by PETA. The footage showed three horse riders racing carts on the newly constructed Versova bridge at the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway, creating a dangerous situation for both the horses and motorists. The video also depicted the riders hitting the horses with canes to make them run faster.

“We have arrested the accused and are working to identify the remaining occupants of the carts involved in the race,” said an officer.

The animal protection group said that they shared a video showing the men mercilessly whipping and beating horses, forcing them to run amidst the chaos of noisy motorcycles and shouting riders.

“PETA India commends the MBVV police for sending a clear message that cruelty to animals will not be tolerated,” said Sunayana Basu, PETA India’s Cruelty Response Coordinator.

“Horse races are cruel, as participants force the animals to run while being hit and weapons are used on them. The horses endure extreme physical strain, which often results in injury and always causes suffering. The mental trauma and physical torture these malnourished and weak horses must have endured is hard to imagine,” added Basu.