COVID protocols violated at bullock-cart race in Nashik after SC allows its resumption

Nashik (Maharashtra) [India], December 26 : A few days after the Supreme Court allowed resumption of the bullock-cart race earlier this month, which was prohibited since 2014, violation of COVID protocols was witnessed at the race event in the Ojhar area of Maharashtra's Nashik district on Saturday.
On December 16, the Supreme Court allowed the resumption of the bullock-cart race in Maharashtra on the same conditions and regulations as mentioned in the state amendments to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The Nashik police have said that an FIR would be registered against the organisers of the event for violating the COVID protocols.

Speaking to ANI on Saturday, a senior police inspector of Ojhar police station said, "The permission has been granted by the Supreme Court, but as we see the people are not following the COVID protocols here. We will register a case against the organizers for violation of COVID rules at the programme."
The Supreme Court in 2014 had banned Jallikattu, bull-race, and bullock-cart races across the country while holding that these violated provisions of the PCA Act. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu had amended PCA Act to allow regulated bull races, which are under challenge and pending in Supreme Court.
The apex court, earlier this month, was hearing an application of the Maharashtra government urging to permit it to conduct a bullock-cart race, at par with the States of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
In February 2018, the top court had referred the pleas related to 'Jallikattu' to a five-judge Constitution Bench which would decide if the bull-taming sport fell under cultural rights or perpetuated cruelty to animals.