E-Paper
12 in police custody for organising bullock cart race in Katraj
PUNE A local court has remanded 12 people to one day’s custody of the Pune city police on Sunday, for organising and participating in a bullock cart race in Gujarwadi, Katraj, on Saturday
PUNE A local court has remanded 12 people to one day’s custody of the Pune city police on Sunday, for organising and participating in a bullock cart race in Gujarwadi, Katraj, on Saturday.
The area, which has a gram panchayat, was recently merged with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
The bullock cart race took place between 9:30am and 10:30am on Saturday, near the foot of a hill in Gujarwadi area of Babar Mala in Katraj.
The arrested men have been identified as Santosh Ashok Nanvare (44), a resident of Gokulnagar in Kondhwa, Pune; Yogesh Balasahe Renuse (29), a reisdent of Neravane in Velha, Pune; Mayur Dilip Shevale (26) a resident of Devachi Uruli in Pune; Pandharinath Jagan Fadke (55), Hrushikesh Bhaga Fadke (52), Vaman Vinayak Fadke (65), Padmakae Ramdas Fadke (38), all residents of Vihigir in Panvel, Raigad; Hrushikesh Survyakant Kanchan (23), a resident of Uruli Kanchan, Pune; Sanket Shashikant Chorge (21), Yash Raju Bhingare (19), SAntosh Shivaram Kudale (41) all residents of Bhelkewadi in Bhor; and Rahul Prakash Chaudhury (34) a resident of Warje, according to the police.
A complaint in the matter was lodged by havildar Ravindra Chippa of the Bharati Vidyapeeth police station.
Rahul Chaudhary and Santosh Nanavare, who are locals in the area, were found to be the conveners of the gathering for the bullock cart race.
A team of policemen learned about the race and went to the clearing where the race was being held.
“We got to know about a race of six-seven pairs of bulls being organised. So, a team led by inspector (crime) Prakash Pasalkar, two sub-inspectors, and six staff members went to the spot. We were in uniform so the moment we were spotted, they scattered, and chaos ensued. We captured three bulls and these people. They pushed the police team in order to free the bulls and managed to get one out of our grip,” said sub-inspector Nitin Shinde of Bharati Vidyapeeth police station, who is investigating the case.
The Fadke family had come from Raigad to visit which has led the police to believe that it was a well-planned event, even though the Bombay High Court order and subsequent Maharashtra state order has deemed bullock cart races as illegal. The bulls were beaten, and their tails twisted in order to make them run faster, according to the police.
A case under Sections 353, 269, 270, 188, 143, 147, 149 of Indian Penal Code along with Section 11(a) of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 and Section 37(1)(3)with135 of Maharashtra Police Act has been registered at the Bharati Vidyapeeth police station.
