Police on regular patrol run into illegal bullock cart race in Khed; organisers booked for animal cruelty

PUNE A case of animal cruelty has been registered by the Pimpri-Chinchwad police against organisers of a bullock cart race in Markal village, Khed district, Pune.

PUNE A case of animal cruelty has been registered by the Pimpri-Chinchwad police against organisers of a bullock cart race in Markal village, Khed district, Pune.

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The organisers booked have been identified as Pappu Lokhande, Ajit Bhuse and Bhau Bhuse, all residents of Markal, according to officials of the Alandi police station, under jurisdiction of the Pimpri-Chinchwad police.

The police learned about the race while they were patrolling the area for the Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Sanjeevani Sohla (festival), which began on November 18, and will end on November 26.

“We were on bandobast (patrol) when we received information about a race underway in the ghat area. Entry of vehicles to the 3km stretch was not possible as devotees thronged the area. By the time we reached the spot, the race had already begun. We found about the organisers and booked them,” said assistant police inspector Vinay Ramchandra Bahir, Alandi police station, who is investigating the case.

“The race was organised in a ghat area where there is forest cover. The carts used in the race are pretty small, and they are fast. As they pass by, it is difficult to identify them. Because of a Supreme Court order banning such races, there is no question of seeking police permission for such an event,” said API Bahir.

On March 12, 2012, the Bombay High Court had passed an order to ban bullock cart racing. In May 2014, the Supreme Court had upheld the order and stated that bullock cart races, along with Jallukattu, are in violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Bullock cart racing has been a traditional sport in Maharashtra for centuries and despite HC and SC orders, is known to still be held, frequently, in rural parts of the state..