While People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) alleged the harassment of buffaloes during Koti Chennayya Jodu Kare Kambala in Moodbidri on Saturday, the organisers denied the allegations and said the animals were not harmed during the event.
In a statement issued here on Sunday, PETA said the investigation by their team has, among others, revealed that a majority of the 100 buffaloes were forced to participate in the event. They were beaten, prodded with sticks and their tails were pulled. The PETA claimed some buffaloes with bloody wounds were forced to participate in the race. Many buffaloes were frothing at the mouth and their respiration rates had increased at the end of the race, showing that racing was unnatural for these animals, the PETA said.
Videos, pics to be placed before SC
The PETA said videos and photographs of Kambala will be placed before the Supreme Court on Monday. The court was hearing the petition questioning the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance, 2017 passed by the State government.
Denying the allegation, Barkur Shantaram Shetty, president, Dakshina Kannada-Udupi-Kasaragod Kambala Committee, said there was not a single incident of harassment during the Kambala in Moodbidri from Saturday morning to Sunday morning.
Mr. Shetty said buffaloes were neither beaten before the start of nor after the end of the race. He said it was normal to see the respiration rate of buffaloes rise at the end of the race. He said the buffaloes were made to run in Kambala. It was normal to find ropes inserted through the nose of buffaloes and set wooden logs on them. He said they had documented the complete sequence of events of Kambala. A team of office-bearers have proceeded to New Delhi to place the facts before the Supreme Court, he added.
