"Buffaloes Beaten, Bulbuls Drugged": PETA Welcomes Key Judgment In Assam

Animal rights organisation PETA has welcomed the Gauhati High Court order banning buffalo and bulbul fights in Assam throughout the year. The high court yesterday struck down a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the state government last year that permitted these activities during the Bhogali Bihu festival in January.

"Great news. Compassion triumphs over cruelty! Kudos to the Gauhati High Court for banning buffalo and bulbul fights by striking down the Assam government SOP that allowed these cruel practices. In response to PETA India's petitions and investigations, the court upheld animal welfare laws, ending the suffering of buffaloes beaten in bloody fights and bulbuls drugged and starved," Peta India said in a post on X.

The animal rights organisation has said it had submitted to the court investigations that revealed how severely injured buffaloes were forced to fight through beatings. In bulbul fights, it said, starved and intoxicated birds were made to fight over food.

"An investigation into a buffalo fight held in Ahatguri in the Morigaon district of Assam on 16 January by PETA India 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. When fights were underway, some owners and handlers jabbed the buffaloes with sticks and whacked them with bare hands to cause them further distress. The buffaloes locked horns and fought, sustaining bloody wounds to their necks, ears, faces, and foreheads - many had injuries all over their body. The fights lasted until one of the two buffaloes broke away and fled." 

"An investigation conducted into a bulbul bird fight held in Hajo in Assam on 15 January revealed that red-vented bulbuls - who are protected under Schedule II of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 - were illegally captured and incited, against their natural instincts, to fight over food... The birds are reportedly commonly drugged with marijuana and fed other intoxicating herbs, bananas, black pepper, cloves, and cinnamon to agitate them, then they are starved for at least one night before the fight. During the fight, a piece of banana is dangled in front of the hungry birds, inciting them to attack each other. Each fight lasted approximately five to 10 minutes, and handlers forced exhausted birds to continue fighting by repeatedly blowing air on them," the animal rights organisation said.

PETA said that its petition to the court pointed out that buffalo and bulbul fights violate the Constitution, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and judgments of the Supreme Court. "PETA India also notes that such fights are inherently cruel, cause immeasurable pain and suffering to the animals forced to participate, and contradict the tenets of ahimsa (non-violence) and compassion, which are integral to Indian culture and tradition," it said.