Animal rights organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA India) has taken the interim custody of 11 horses, which were rescued by the Mumbai police. The horses were rescued by the Gamdevi, Shivaji Park, and Sewri police last week in separate cases of neglect and illegal carriage riding following a lead from PETA.

According to PETA, these horses were being mistreated and severely neglected, and some were found to be used in illegal carriage activities. The Bombay High Court (HC) had in 2015 deemed horse carriages, specifically ‘Victoria’ carriages, as illegal due to concerns about animal cruelty. The HC had also declared the keeping of horses in the city illegal, citing the absence of licensed stables under the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) Act, 1888.

In recent court proceedings, the 5th Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Court in Bhoiwada, the 40th Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) in Girgaon, and the 69th JMFC Court in Mazagaon granted PETA India the interim custody of the 11 rescued horses following petitions from the animal rights body after the FIR was filed in the case.