CHENNAI: Animal rights organisations have come together to ensure that Jallikattu events are not being held surreptitiously by setting up an exclusive number to which alerts and photographs can be sent.
The Jallikattu helpline 09632129381 has received over a dozen calls since it was set up on Tuesday, said the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO).
“All the major events that are organised every year have been cancelled. This helpline is a mechanism to ensure that smaller events taking place illegally in districts and villages can be stopped ahead of time,” said Arpan Sharma, convenor, FIAPO. So far, a majority of such reports that have reached the organisation have come from Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The helpline that is manned 24/7 functions primarily as a WhatsApp number so that messages, pictures and videos can be sent in.
“We first verify the claim and then register a case on the behalf of the complainant,” said a spokesperson from FIAPO.
Once this is done, the event could be swiftly shut down with the help of district administration, police officials and associated animal welfare bodies.
So far, the helpline has come to the aid of more than just cattle. “We managed to stop a bullock cart race and a dog show that was taking place without proper permission at the Inapur and Kagwad villages in Belgaum district,” said Arpan.