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HC asks Goa police to prevent illegal bullfighting around Easter
NGO People for Animals approached the court alleging the ban on bullfighting was being violated with impunity
PANAJI: The Bombay High Court at Goa has ordered police to keep a close eye on bullfights held around Easter, which is being celebrated on April 17. It sought a mechanism to prevent to recurrence of illegal bullfighting including through mapping of fighter bulls using microchips.
The order last week came as the court dispose of a contempt petition of NGO People for Animals. The NGO approached the court saying bullfights were being organised regularly despite the ban. It argued inaction has emboldened the organisers, who have started using social media to publicise these fights.
A division bench of Justices A K Menon and R N Laddha cited the number of cases registered, and the people arrested for bullfighting. It added there has not been a single conviction. “...that is one of the aspects which the petitioners are highlighting.”
The court said many of these fights are reportedly conducted in fields. “...it is difficult to believe the police authorities have no means of identifying those responsible… The photographs annexed show the pictorial representation of the bulls that are likely to be involved in the fight on Easter…”
The court cited bullfights scheduled in Benaulim and ordered the Goa police chief to investigate the matter. “It was found that the police need support by way of a team of bull catchers, consensus on the application of relevant provisions of IPC [Indian Penal Code], mapping of all bulls for their identification on their rescue including by use of RFID Tags/ Microchips.”
The court said help was sought from the animal husbandry department for assistance to police for tagging the bulls likely to be used in such fights. This was being done to identify and investigate the activities of the bull owners and how they contribute to organising bullfights actively or otherwise. The court asked the police chief to devise steps for enforcing the ban.
Two bulls are provoked into taking each other head-on by locking horns for bullfighting. It can take several hours until a winner emerges usually when one bull flees. The Supreme Court has upheld the high court’s ban on bullfighting, which has continued sporadically.
