Twenty Booked for Illegal Bull Race Event in Thiruvananthapuram Rural, After PETA India Complaint

For Immediate Release:

04 September 2025

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Thiruvananthapuram–Following the circulation of a poster which was shared on a WhatsApp group regarding a bull race event, locally known as maramadi, and scheduled to be conducted in the Pallickal area of Thiruvananthapuram Rural, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals India (PETA India) sprang into action and alerted the police. Despite the prior intimation and a warning issued to the event organisers by the police against conducting the race, videos shared revealed that the race went ahead as planned. PETA India then successfully urged the Thiruvananthapuram rural police to register a First Information Report (FIR) against those accused of organising and participating in this illegal event.

The FIR was registered by Pallikkal police station under Section 291 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which criminalizes negligent conduct with respect to animal endangering life, Section 120(l) of the Kerala Police Act, 2011, and Sections 3 and 11(1)(a) of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960, which criminalises beating, torturing and inflicting unnecessary pain and suffering on animals. The FIR names 20 individuals as accused for organising and participating in a race using 19 pairs of bulls. The FIR states that the accused conducted the bull race unlawfully, overexerted the bulls by forcing them to race, and subjected them to abuse, endangering the animals.

“The Supreme Court and the Kerala High Court have already made it clear that bull races are illegal and inherently cruel. Forcing bulls to run by whipping them, yanking their nose ropes, or twisting their tails has no place in civilised society,” says PETA India Emergency Response Coordinator Divya Chavan. “We commend the Thiruvananthapuram rural police for promptly registering the FIR and sending a clear message that cruelty to animals will not be tolerated.”

Bulls used for work already have a hard life without the additional torment of being forced to race. During races, terrified bulls run in an effort to escape pain. They’re commonly yanked by their nose ropes to the starting line and hit with bare hands and weapons like nail-studded sticks, and their tailbones are often broken at the joint in an attempt to force them to run faster.

In a similar incident on 8 September 2024, following a complaint from PETA India, the Alathur police station registered a suo moto FIR against the accused for conducting an illegal bullock cart race in Alathur, Palakkad.

Likewise, on 8 December 2021, following a complaint from PETA India, the Malampuzha police station registered a suo moto FIR against the accused. Subsequently, on 19 May 2022, the Hon’ble Court of Judicial First Class Magistrate III, Palakkad, in CC No. 239/2022, delivered a judgment convicting all the accused under sections 289 and 336 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and sections 3 and 11(1)(a) of the PCA Act, 1960.

On 8 September 2015, the High Court of Kerala passed an order stating that it is bound by the observations and views of the 2014 Supreme Court judgement upholding the ban imposed by the central government’s notification dated 7 July 2011. The court pointed out that the Supreme Court has categorically stated that bulls are not anatomically suited to racing.

For more information, please visit PETAIndia.com or follow the group on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

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