Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court on Thursday directed the Assam government to stop any further buffalo fights (Moh-Juj) from taking place in the state.
In response to PETA India’s application for interim relief, the High Court directed concerned district administrations to stop any further buffalo fights in Assam.
Justice Manish Choudhury observed that any buffalo fights held in Assam after January 25, 2024 are prima facie illegal, as they are in violation of the time limit for holding such events imposed by the standard operating procedures (SOP) issued by the Assam government.
Authorities of Nagaon district were directed to stop a buffalo fight scheduled to take place this weekend on the basis of evidence produced by PETA India.
While proceedings in relation to PETA India’s plea for the state’s decision to allow such events to be deemed unconstitutional are to be decided, the court has ordered strict enforcement of the government’s SOP in the interim.
In addition, the court directed the state to file an action taken report by February 6.
Following the Assam government’s decision to allow buffalo fights during Magh Bihu, PETA India filed a petition with the Gauhati High Court making the case for the cruel spectacles to be prohibited once again.
PETA India’s petitions cited numerous violations of central law in the conduct of these events.
As evidence, PETA India submitted investigations into these fights, which reveal that terrified and severely injured buffaloes were beaten to force them to fight.
The PETA petition submitted that a buffalo fight held on January 16 at Ahatguri in the Morigaon district of Assam revealed that to instigate buffaloes to fight, owners slapped, pushed, and shoved them; jabbed and struck them with wooden sticks; and pulled them by their nose-ropes to force them to approach one another.
