Mumbai: Midnight horse cart race on Eastern Expressway leads to FIR

The Pant Nagar police have registered an FIR against unidentified individuals for allegedly organising a horsecart race on the Eastern Express Highway early Monday morning The incident came to light after a video of the race went viral on social mediaThe FIR was filed suo motu with Constable Ravikiran Awhad attached to the Pant Nagar police station in Ghatkopar as the complainant The police are using video footage to identify the accusedThe viral video reportedly shows 68 horse carts accompanied by dozens of bikers following and recording the race while supporting the activity The horse carts were seen speeding on the highwayAccording to a police official the incident occurred between 3 am and 4 am on Monday A police source told midday that the participants including horsecart riders and others gathered near the police petrol pump at Samta Colony in Ghatkopar East around 3 am before starting the race The video uploaded on social media by local residents went viral with the tagline ldquoMumbai police soti rahihellip horse riding hoti rahirdquo Mumbai police kept sleeping while horse racing happenedConstable Ravikiran Awhad a mills special officer at Pant Nagar police station received the video on WhatsApp He informed the senior inspector and the FIR was subsequently registeredA police officer said ldquoWe have registered an FIR against unidentified individuals for organising horsecart racing at Ghatkopar The case has been filed under various sections related to animal cruelty and we are working to trace the accusedrdquoPETA statementPETA India said it has worked with Mumbai police to stop several illegal horsecart races on the Eastern and Western Express Highways However they emphasised the importance of public cooperation in reporting such racesldquoBased on public tipoffs we collaborate with senior police officials to prevent these events In cases where races have already taken place we work to get FIRs registered and rescue abused horses Over the last few years these efforts have led to the rescue of nearly 50 horses used illegally for races or carriage ridesrdquo PETA statedThe organisation also urged Mumbai police and the BMC to prevent the illegal use and keeping of horses in violation of the 2015 Bombay High Court judgment banning victorias horse rides and the stabling of horses in MumbaiThe Bombay High Court in its 2015 judgment in Animals and Birds Charitable Trust vs MCGM ruled that none of the stables housing horses for carriage rides or other purposes in Mumbai were licensed under Section 394 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act 1888 Similarly the Rajasthan High Court in a 2016 order banned tonga races after the Animal Welfare Board of India reported inherent cruelty in forcing horses to race amidst chaotic traffic and loud spectatorsHorse races on public roads organised without requisite permissions are illegal under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960PETA added ldquoWe have formally complained to senior officers of the Mumbai police about the illegal race that occurred on Monday along the Eastern Express Highway from Ghatkopar to Mulund We are in contact with Shri Mahesh Patil IPS additional commissioner of police Eastern Region to ensure necessary actions are taken including FIR registration and the seizure of all horses used during the racerdquo