A hoof whodunnit: Madhya Pradesh govt probes how Hyderabad racehorses ended up in Jabalpur
Madhya Pradesh is investigating the suspicious deaths of heritage-breed racehorses secretly transported from Hyderabad to Jabalpur
BHOPAL/JABALPUR: Madhya Pradesh govt has launched an investigation into the suspicious deaths of several heritage-breed racehorses that were 'secretly' transported from Hyderabad and housed in Raipura village of Panagar, Jabalpur district.
Jabalpur collector Deepak Saxena has directed a probe to unveil the circumstances under which the horses were brought to Jabalpur without the requisite medical and transport clearances. According to officials, around 57 horses were allegedly covertly moved between April 29 and May 3 by local resident Sanjay Tiwari, in association with a Hyderabad-based businessman.
"Maneka Gandhi (former Union minister) informed me that Tiwari had transported some horses from Hyderabad to Jabalpur.
Upon investigation with the help of police, the horses were located at a stud farm in Raipura village. They underwent medical examinations, and it was found that some horses were seriously ill," Saxena told TOI.
"Unfortunately, eight horses died in the initial days. With regular health checks and treatment, the remaining horses have now recovered. The vet department has been instructed to investigate and address the irregularities related to the transportation and maintenance of the horses.
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Our top priority was to ensure their treatment," he added.
While the local administration says caretaker Sachin Tiwari was the first to flag the deteriorating health of the horses, sources said Maneka had alerted the authorities earlier following a formal complaint by Lavanya Shekhawat - a Rajasthan-based aspiring polo player and horse lover.
Shekhawat had emailed PETA India: "This is an urgent appeal regarding the horrifying condition of horses at the Hyderabad Race Course.
Many are suffering, malnourished, injured, and some have already died due to neglect and abuse." Following her intervention, the horses were allegedly shifted to Jabalpur in an attempt to avoid scrutiny and possible legal action by animal welfare authorities.
After arriving in Jabalpur, several horses displayed signs of illness. A rapid response team was formed to investigate a possible outbreak of glanders -a contagious and potentially fatal disease affecting equines - and other zoonotic threats.
Under strict biosafety protocols, blood serum samples from all 57 horses with them were collected and sent to the National Research Centre on Equines in Hisar, Haryana.
Test results for 44 horses came back negative; the others are awaited. Due to glanders containment protocols, post-mortem of the eight dead horses was not conducted.
Dr Prafull Moon, deputy director of animal husbandry department, confirmed that eight people who were in contact with the horses were also tested for glanders and other diseases.
"Precautionary measures are in full effect while we await final results. The horses remain under quarantine and care," he said.
Authorities revealed that the horses were moved using passports issued in the name of 'Hitha Net India Pvt Ltd', a Hyderabad-based business linked to horseracing. However, mandatory medical clearances were allegedly not obtained. "We have directed the SP to verify all documentation and investigate how these horses were moved without approval," Saxena said.
Tiwari, the caretaker, maintained that he acted in good faith and alerted officials as soon as health concerns arose. He said that the horses' passports included their medical history, and that Jabalpur was chosen for its favourable conditions to establish a horse farm.
Menaka Gandhi told TOI that the Hyderabad-based owner of the online booking company should not only be arrested for the 'illegal activity' but also held accountable for the deaths of 100 horses. "I spoke to the Jabalpur district magistrate. The horses are now cared for. The DM has done a commendable job, as has Khushru Dhunjibhoy of Mumbai, who arranged for veterinarians and food," she said. "What is urgently needed now is for people to come forward and adopt or take responsibility for these horses.
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