Allowing Kambala leaves black mark on India: PETA

February 13, 2017

New Delhi, Feb 13: On a day the Karnataka Assembly passed a bill to legalise traditional buffalo race Kambala, animal rights body PETA today said allowing this "cruelty" to be afflicted on animals is "shameful" and leaves a "black mark" on India.

PETA said India has long enjoyed the admiration of nations for its cultural reverence for animals rights but today it moved "backward" when other countries are progressing by banning the use of animals in circuses, bullfights, and other "cruel" spectacles.

"Allowing this cruelty to animals is a shameful black mark on our nation," Poorva Joshipura, CEO People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, said.

Bowing to the public pressure and in the backdrop of Tamil Nadu government allowing Jallikattu after huge protests, Karnataka Assembly today passed a bill to legalise buffalo race Kambala and bullock cart race.

All parties backed the move in the Assembly.

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, was amended in its application to Karnataka by the bill which was tabled after the clamour for Kambala grew.

Poorva said the decision to allow Jallikattu has had dire consequences not just for bulls who are "tormented sometimes to death" but also for the more than 5,000 people who were injured or killed during this sport in a span of six years.

She said most Indian citizens abhor cruelty to animals but some have been calling for legalisation of events such as bull and buffalo races.

The PETA India CEO said that during such races, animals are often hit with nail-studded sticks and not treated nicely.

She said examples of sports like cockfights, in which knives are often tied to roosters' feet to make fights bloodier, and bulbul bird fights for which birds are trapped and fed intoxicants, prove that they are subjected to cruelty.

Cruelties inherent in these events violate the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, she said.

"A total of 65 non-cognisable offence complaints and one FIR were filed at just three events inspected by the government body Animal Welfare Board of India during Kambala events in 2014 and 2015," she said.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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