<p>Guwahati: Acting on a petition filed by <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/peta-india">PETA India</a>, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/gauhati-high-court">Gauhati High Court</a> recently asked Assam government to take steps to stop the traditional buffalo fight and initiate action against those organising such event, the animal rights body said on Tuesday.</p><p>The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals ( (PETA) India filed a writ petition months after the BJP-led government in Assam amended the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, in order to permit buffalo fight performed during the annual Bhogali Bihu festival.</p><p>Buffalo fights are organised at Ahotguri in Morigaon district and several other places as part of celebrations of the Bhogali Bihu in January every year. But the fight had to be discontinued after PETA India moved Guwahati High Court, which in 2024 issued an order prohibiting the traditional practice. </p><p>"The Court observed that buffalo fights in Assam cannot be permitted under the statutory provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and any subsequent organization of these events would be in violation of binding judicial precedents," PETA India said in a statement on Tuesday, days after the court issued the interim order. </p>.PETA India writes to PMO, flags proposal to confine stray dogs for life.<p>The court also asked the state government to initiate appropriate penal action against any organizers of such events, until further orders, PETA India said.</p><p>The statement said PETA India had filed "disturbing" new evidence of extreme cruelty to buffaloes from this year before the Gauhati High Court.</p><p>"The documentation, available in photo and video form, shows blood-soaked buffaloes with gaping open wounds being nearly constantly beaten with thick sticks during the events and yanked by nose ropes to be forced to fight, resulting in severe injuries. The documentation also shows one man being pummeled by a fleeing buffalo."</p><p>The PETA India prayed for accountability and urgent action against the unlawful events that took place and immediate intervention to prevent any future events from being held in open defiance of the Gauhati High Court’s orders and the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in <em>Animal Welfare Board of India v. A. Nagaraja, </em>said the statement. </p>
<p>Guwahati: Acting on a petition filed by <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/peta-india">PETA India</a>, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/gauhati-high-court">Gauhati High Court</a> recently asked Assam government to take steps to stop the traditional buffalo fight and initiate action against those organising such event, the animal rights body said on Tuesday.</p><p>The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals ( (PETA) India filed a writ petition months after the BJP-led government in Assam amended the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, in order to permit buffalo fight performed during the annual Bhogali Bihu festival.</p><p>Buffalo fights are organised at Ahotguri in Morigaon district and several other places as part of celebrations of the Bhogali Bihu in January every year. But the fight had to be discontinued after PETA India moved Guwahati High Court, which in 2024 issued an order prohibiting the traditional practice. </p><p>"The Court observed that buffalo fights in Assam cannot be permitted under the statutory provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and any subsequent organization of these events would be in violation of binding judicial precedents," PETA India said in a statement on Tuesday, days after the court issued the interim order. </p>.PETA India writes to PMO, flags proposal to confine stray dogs for life.<p>The court also asked the state government to initiate appropriate penal action against any organizers of such events, until further orders, PETA India said.</p><p>The statement said PETA India had filed "disturbing" new evidence of extreme cruelty to buffaloes from this year before the Gauhati High Court.</p><p>"The documentation, available in photo and video form, shows blood-soaked buffaloes with gaping open wounds being nearly constantly beaten with thick sticks during the events and yanked by nose ropes to be forced to fight, resulting in severe injuries. The documentation also shows one man being pummeled by a fleeing buffalo."</p><p>The PETA India prayed for accountability and urgent action against the unlawful events that took place and immediate intervention to prevent any future events from being held in open defiance of the Gauhati High Court’s orders and the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in <em>Animal Welfare Board of India v. A. Nagaraja, </em>said the statement. </p>