The Gauhati High Court issued a ban on buffalo and bulbul bird fights in Assams, striking down a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the state government that permitted such events during Bhogali Bihu festival.

A single-judge bench of Justice Devashis Baruah was hearing a petition filed by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, seeking the court to dismiss the SOP, which was passed on December 27 last year.

The court ruled that the practices were in violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, of 1960 and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. It also cited the Supreme Court ruling in the A Nagaraja case in 2014, which banned all forms of animal fights.

The petitioner, PETA India, presented evidence of the cruelty inflicted on animals during these events, stating that buffaloes were subjected to physical abuse, including being slapped, jabbed with sticks, and pulled by their nose ropes to force them into fights. It also argued that many sustained injuries such as bleeding wounds on their necks, ears, and faces.

The petitioner said that bulbul birds, which are protected under Indian wildlife laws, were caught, drugged, and starved to provoke aggression. It further stated that harmful substances were reportedly administered to intoxicate the birds, making them fight for food during these events.

It stated that most buffalo and bulbul fights occurred illegally beyond the permitted dates.