Horse undergoes surgery, U’khand BJP lawmaker booked

Amid the continuing outrage over injury to a police horse allegedly in an attack by a BJP MLA, the animal on Tuesday underwent a surgical procedure to fix one of its hind legs after which authorities said no amputation was required.

The ghastly attack on the beast during a protest on Monday saw the ruling Congress and main opposition BJP locked in a verbal clash in the Uttarakhand assembly even as people poured their wrath on Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi for showing cruelty to the animal. Police have registered a case against Joshi and his supporters under Cruelty to Animals Act in connection with the incident, while several animal rights activists including Puja Bahukhandi have also lodged a police complaint against the MLA for his “inhuman” act.

13-year-old Shaktiman was operated upon by a team of doctors from Pantnagar Veterinary College after which Senior Superintendent of Police Sadanand Date said “The injury has been fixed and no amputation was required”.

There was speculation that the leg of the horse might need to be sawed off.

The attack on the horse of Uttarakhand Mounted Police occurred near Rispana bridge during a protest march by BJP to the state assembly. When intercepted near the bridge, BJP workers tried to jump over the barricades prompting security personnel, including the mounted police, to swing into action to control the protesters.

This enraged Joshi who allegedly began hitting the 13-year-old horse Shaktiman with a stick, fracturing one of its hind legs.

The equine was the cynosure of all eyes with CM Harish Rawat visiting the stable located at the police lines to inquire about its condition.