The police have booked some people on the charge of showing cruelty to animals during a race in which bulls and horses were tied to the same carts in Sureban of Belagavi district.Based on a tip-off by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, the police have registered a case under provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act.Ittappa Kadappa, Bhimappa Avappa, Bharamappa Bhimappa and others have been charged with inflicting cruelty by organising the race and participating in it.PETA sent a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan and Superintendent of Police K. Ramarajan after videos of animals suffering from the acts charged surfaced on social media.“Different types of animals were tied with concrete polls to the same cart and made to run under duress. They were not stopped even after they started bleeding. A pony collapsed while running. All such acts are banned by law,” they said.Activists have thanked the district administration and the police and have urged Belagavi Rural Police to seize the four bulls and two ponies and any other animals involved, said a release. Published - July 06, 2026 08:25 pm IST