Raha Police Prevent an Illegal Buffalo Fight, and Register FIR—PETA India Demands Action on Eleven Other Fights That Occurred
A complaint with video evidence by PETA India led to the registration of a suo moto first information report (FIR) by Raha Police Station in Nagaon for buffalo fights held on 17 and 21 January within its jurisdiction. Another buffalo fight was successfully prevented by the police, who intervened and reached the location to stop it upon receiving local information about the events. The Hon’ble Gauhati High Court’s order dated 17 December 2024 prohibits buffalo fights in the state, which also violates the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA), 1960.
The FIR by Raha police was registered under sections 3, 11(1)(a), (l), (m)(ii), and (n) of the PCA Act, 1960, and sections 189, 121, 325 and 291 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 against the organising committee and individuals involved in conducting the buffalo fights, which cause immense cruelty and suffering to buffaloes, and put human lives in probable danger of grievous harm.
Basis information available in the public domain, at least eleven illegal buffalo fights were held in Ahatguri, Ranthali Field, and Kalikajari Mikirbheta of Morigaon; Barapujia and Moukhati of Nagaon; and Rang Ghar Bakori and Zerenga Pathar of Sivasagar district on and around the festival of Magh Bihu. PETA India has filed complaints and urges the police to ensure FIRs are registered against these organisers and participants, too.
On 17 December 2024, in response to petitions filed by PETA India, the Gauhati High Court quashed the Assam government SOP dated 27 December 2023, which had allowed buffalo and bulbul bird fights during a certain time of the year (in January). The petitions were listed before Hon’ble Mr. Justice Devashis Baruah in the Gauhati High Court, and detailed submissions were made by Mr. Diganta Das, Senior Advocate, in support of PETA India’s argument that the buffalo and bulbul fights violate the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 and that the bulbul fights additionally violate the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, which were accepted by the court. The Gauhati High Court further held the SOP to be in violation of the judgment dated 7 May 2014 passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Animal Welfare Board of India vs A. Nagaraja.
As evidence, PETA India had submitted investigations into these fights, which revealed the horrifying conditions under which the animals were forced to fight. The investigations showed that terrified and severely injured buffaloes were forced to fight through beatings and that starved and intoxicated bulbuls were made to fight over food. PETA India had also submitted numerous examples of fights being held illegally, outside the dates allowed via the SOP, arguing that allowing the fights at any time of the year was resulting in enormous animal abuse.
PETA India’s petition to the High Court pointed out that the buffalo and bulbul fights violate the Constitution of India; The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960; and judgements of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, including in Animal Welfare Board of India vs A Nagaraja. PETA India also notes that such fights are inherently cruel, cause immeasurable pain and suffering to the animals forced to participate, and contradict the tenets of ahimsa (non-violence) and compassion, which are integral to Indian culture and tradition.
PETA India has long campaigned against the use of bulls in performances.
