An Animal rights activist group is planning to deliver a petition to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) against alleged incidents of animal abuse that occurred at a New Year festival held at Kelaniya.
The New Year festival held on Saturday (6) featured events such as 'Thirikkal' races, pony races as well as elephant races.
Video footage of the events held on the road in front of Keleniya Raja Maha Viharaya premises appear to portray abusive behavior by people, where some can be seen riding motorcycles along with the running bulls Some people can be seen running along with the elephants as well, and some elephants are seen carrying their own shackles in their trunks.
Director of Rare Sri Lanka, Panchali Panapitiya told the Sunday Times that the behavior of the people at the New Year festival was abusive towards the animals.
She explained that in addition, having the event in a residential area posed a danger to the public as well as the animals.
"The bulls which were used for the race were intimidated, making them run amok, one animal sustaining injuries too," she said.
Ms Panapitiya pointed out that the cattle could have died of shock after being excessively stressed.
She claimed that elephants too ran amok at the event endangering safety of people.
Therefore she added that she would submit a pettiton to the IGP urging police to take action.
The Cyclonic Storm “Ditwah” moved further north from Trincomalee today evening leaving a trail of destruction including more than 90 deaths, over 100 missing and tens of thousands displaced, officials said.
A third rescue attempt to save 28 people trapped on the rooftop of a farm building in Vithikuliya, Nikaweratiya, has failed due to the dangerous water surge from the Deduru Oya.
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All passengers of a bus swept away by rising floodwaters on the Kalawewa Bridge along the Anuradhapura–Puttalam road have been rescued, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda said.
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