An illegal donkey race was cancelled in Sangli after organisers of an illegal horse cart race were booked by local police. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, which had filed a complaint against the illegal races, have also demanded the seizure of the horses which were to be forced into the race.
Upon receiving information about an illegal horse cart race held on February 17 along a 65 km stretch from Chinchali in Belagavi to Sangalwadi in Sangli, amidst a large crowd on two-wheelers, the Sangli City Police Station registered a First Information Report (FIR) against five individuals involved in organising the cruel spectacle. This action was taken following a complaint submitted by PETA India and rigorous follow-ups.
Additionally, after learning about an illegal donkey race scheduled for February 27 on Kadamwadi Road in Sangli through a promotional poster, PETA India worked with the Sangli police and the Sangli Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), thereby successfully intervening and preventing the event from taking place.
After submitting a complaint to the Sangli Superintendent of Police Sandip Ghuge and the Inspector General of Police, Kolhapur Range, Sunil Phulari, an FIR was registered under Sections 223, 281, 285, and 135 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, as well as Section 11(1)(a) of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. PETA India is actively working with the Sangli police to ensure the seizure of all eight horses abused in the illegal race.
Races and injuries
Saloni Sakaria, lead cruelty response coordinator at PETA India, said, “PETA India commends the efforts of the Sangli police for sending a clear message that cruelty to animals will not be tolerated. The mental trauma and physical torture these horses must have endured is hard to imagine. PETA India is calling for the immediate seizure of the horses abused to safeguard their welfare and establish a strong deterrent against such acts of cruelty.”
Horses used for racing are forced to sprint through whippings and weapons at speeds so fast they frequently sustain injuries and can even haemorrhage from the lungs. In 2016, the Rajasthan High Court prohibited tonga races in Rajasthan after reviewing a report from the Animal Welfare Board of India. The report highlighted that horses suffer from cruelty when they are compelled to run amid noisy vehicles and loud spectators, causing them fear and distress, said PETA India.
