Police book organisers, attendees of illegal bullock cart race in Ambernath village

Shivaji Nagar police in Ambernath have registered a case against the organisers and attendees of an illegal bullock cart race that was allegedly organised in a village in Ambernath on Wednesday.

According to Shivaji Nagar police, they received a call at around 11am on Wednesday about a large crowd having gathered in Bohonoli village for a bullock cart race. Several teams of personnel were immediately despatched but the crowd had dispersed by the time police reached the spot, officers said.

“Based on preliminary inquiries, we have registered an FIR against 50 to 60 people that includes the organisers of the race as well as the people who had gathered to view it. We have booked them under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act as well as under the Epidemic Diseases Act and the Indian Penal Code for flouting restrictions relating to the on-going Covid pandemic,” police inspector Ajay Gavit said.

The incident comes close on the heels of the Supreme Court permitting resumption of the 400-year-old tradition of bullock cart racing in Maharashtra. There are several petitions pending before the SC over bullock cart racing, and the apex court has allowed races to be held in the State till the matters are pending.

“While the SC has allowed bullock cart races to be held, there are certain guidelines that need to be adhered to. The organisers of the race need to seek and obtain permission from the District Collector as well as inform the local police, which was not done in this case. Further, all restrictions related to the pandemic were violated by the large crowd that had gathered to witness the race,” Gavit said.

The police are now working on identifying and apprehending the accused. Inquiries are under way and arrests are expected in the case soon, officers said.