Team Herald
PERNEM: Illegal bullfights have been a regular feature in the Pernem Taluka especially in the costal belt. On Wednesday morning, bullfights were organised at Mandrem Beach and were attended by hundreds of people mainly by the youth.
Besides Mandrem, another one was also organised at Tuem. Earlier, bullfights were also held in Tuem and Morjim.
Even though, organising bullfights is illegal and banned by the Bombay High Court since 1996, they continue to happen every next day under nose of the authorities especially the police, who have failed to crack down on such fights.
Despite the ban, the bullfights have become a common feature even though the social activists file complaints. Not only the local youth but people from the neighbouring villages of Maharashtra come especially to witness these fights.
These bullfights have turned into short time income source for the youth, where they earn minimum Rs one lakh in a single fight. However, these fights mostly lead to injuries to the bulls or death which are held mostly during early morning on the village grounds and even on the beaches. Before 1996, the bullfights were a common affair after harvesting of paddy crop.
It is also alleged that the concerned authorities do not take action on these illegalities since the concerned officials are “bribed” to allow these fights to happen.
In 2018, former animal husbandry minister Mauvin Godinho had said that the BJP-led coalition government would lobby with the Central government for legalisation of bullfighting.
