Breaking laws, youth celebrate bullfight champ’s birthday in Bhiwandi

Keeping rules and laws at bay a group of youth celebrated the grand birthday of a 10yearold buffalo with more than 500 people in attendance at Vadunavghar village in Bhiwandi taluka of Thane district The celebration was grand as the buffalo named Raja recently won a bullfighting match which is illegal in VajreshwariRajarsquos custodian is Ketan Balram Patil 25 who runs a tabela ldquoWe celebrated Rajarsquos birthday on January 1 in our village where more than 500 people gatheredrdquo Patil told middayBulls seen bleeding during their violent fightsldquoWe brought Raja home 10 years ago for Rs 20000 Since then we have been looking after him My whole day is dedicated to raising him I keep him untethered so he can run freely in open land and remain physically fitrdquo Patil addedHe said ldquoHe last played the bullfighting game in Vajreshwari on December 12 and wonrdquoNo regard for law bullrsquos healthDespite the sport being illegal the group of youth circulate messages among each other and decide on an open land and a date for bullfighting matches Patil however said that they donrsquot place any bet ldquoOur next bullfighting sport is scheduled to take place next monthrdquo he addedSources told midday that the custodians of these animals forcefully make them drink alcohol before subjecting them to fights After the match bulls are left bleeding with multiple bruises all over their bodySaying that he makes Raja drink alcohol Patil said ldquoIt is just for funhellip I have been offering a healthy diet to Raja Every month I spend over R15000 on his food I have raised him only for bullfights which is my passionrdquoWhen asked about injuries he told midday ldquoHe gets injured due to the fights but a veterinary doctor visits my tabela and administers medicine The wounds heal in hardly a weekrdquoTalking about the birthday celebration amid COVID Patil said ldquoSince Raja has many fans in Bhiwandi the guests too brought cakes with them Around 16 cakes were cut that day followed by dance It was a funpacked celebrationrdquoHow they evade copsIn the recent video of the illegal bullfight scores of youth are seen cheering for their respective animals at an open land in Vajreshwari midday accessed multiple such videosWhen asked if the police do not chase them away Patil said ldquoWe have to manage We hold the bullfight early in the morning I loaded Raja in a tempo and took him to Vajreshwari from my village had the fight and returned home He has fought nearly two dozen bullfights till date and never lostrdquo Patil saidHowever deputy sarpanch Sachin Patil said ldquoBullfighting does not happen in our village This has been stopped But I am not sure if the youth go to other villages to play the banned game In the past they had been warned by police on one or two occasions for the samerdquoPETA speaksldquoAnimal fights are a sick and cruel form of lsquoentertainmentrsquo Not only are these incidents illegal they are also inhumane and wrong Animals who are made to fight often incur fatal injuries and the fights can result in accidents to human spectators too Bullsbuffaloes who are made to fight end up with wounds all over their bodiesrdquo said Meet Ashar lawyer and animal rights advocateldquoInciting animals to fight is illegal in India by law and by order of the Supreme Court Animal fights violate Sections 3 and 111 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals PCA Act 1960rdquo said Ashar who is also the Associate Manager Emergency Response Team PETA India10 yearsAge of the bull