CHENNAI: An illegal ram fight conducted in Pollachi, Coimbatore district, has triggered outrage among animal welfare activists, who have demanded swift police action against the organisers.
The event, which was promoted openly on Instagram as part of a “Keda Sandai with Keda Virunthu package” has been flagged as a violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960, and Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
A formal complaint has been submitted by M Vignesh alias Sai Vignesh, president of Almighty Animal Care Trust, to the Superintendent of Police, Coimbatore.
In his petition, Vignesh stated that he had come across a video reel posted on September 3 by an Instagram account named poovai_babacatering_pollachi.
The reel, which showed rams being provoked to violently charge at each other, was captioned in Tamil, inviting bookings for “Keda Sandai” events from July to December.
“The animals were deliberately incited to fight, causing extreme distress and cruelty. Such acts not only violate existing laws but also risk normalising animal cruelty in the guise of entertainment,” Vignesh wrote in his complaint.
Under Section 11(1)(a), (m), and (n) of the PCA Act, inciting animals to fight constitutes cruelty and is punishable. Additionally, BNS Section 325 criminalises acts involving violence and cruelty against animals.
“This is not just about one fight. If left unchecked, it sends a dangerous message that animal cruelty is acceptable as a form of recreation. The law is clear, and it must be enforced,” Vignesh emphasised.