Even as animal welfare activists have rushed to the police with complaints against the kambala held at Moodbidri recently, its organisers have criticised the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) for interference.
They alleged that there was a deliberate attempt to end the folk sport and there were repeated complaints finding fault with kambalas being organised in the region.
Meanwhile, the AWBI personnel found alleged violations of different laws at the Mulki Arasu Kambala held on Thursday.
The violations were similar to the ones observed by the Board at the Baradi Beedu Kambala on December 20.
Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim said he was awaiting reports from the officers who supervised the event as per the High Court directive.
Baradi Beedu Kambala organiser K. Jeevandhara Ballal told presspersons that the High Court had not authorised AWBI to supervise the events. Neither had the “supervisors” carried any authorisation letter or identify proofs, he said.
‘Imaginary violations’Terming AWBI’s allegations of violations as imaginary, Mr. Ballal said Revenue and Police authorities who oversaw the kambala had complimented the organisers for conducting the event as per the court directions.
The AWBI personnel, Mr. Ballal said, upset buffalo owners by preventing them from applying kumkum and providing theertha (water) to buffaloes, claiming the water could have been drugged. Adequate arrangements for transportation and unloading of animals were made, he said. And kambala was not the forum to check whether the animals were vaccinated; it was not a court direction either, he said.
Mr. Ballal said the nose ropes were a safety precaution. People for Ethical Treatment of Animals said in a release that many buffaloes had two to three thick, tightly fitted ropes inserted through the nasal septum, and there were extended nose injuries on many buffaloes caused by the abrasive ropes and violent pulling, it said.
