New Delhi: In a bizarre incident, a candidate contesting from Gaya assembly seat has been booked for riding a buffalo for election campaigning under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and for violating social distancing norms of the COVID-19 guidelines.
The case relates to Mohammad Parvez Alam, a candidate of Rashtriya Ulama Council party, who rode a buffalo to seek votes in the area along with his supporters. Alam was arrested by Gaya Police as soon as he reached Swarajpuri Road from Gandhi Maidan.
Defending himself, Alam said, "As there is a rampant rise in the level of pollution in the city, so I rode a buffalo to protect the city from getting polluted."
The voting for Gaya assembly seat is scheduled on October 28.
Alam's idea created a buzz in the city and residents came out of their homes to have a look of his buffalo show. Alam was arrested and FIR registered against him under the sections of 269 of IPC (negligence in spreading infection of life-threatening disease) and section 270 (possibility of spreading infection of deadly life-threatening disease). Later, he was released on bail.
As per Alam, he wanted to give a message to politicians that Gaya is the dirtiest city in Bihar and if he wins the assembly elections, he would make it a pollution-free city.
Commenting on the incident, Gaya SSP Rajiv Mishra said, "An FIR has been registered against him and his supporters for the violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. We will probe it and proceed accordingly."