In a shocking incident, a 13-year-old police horse Shaktimaan, deployed as part of mounted police was severely injured by BJP’s Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi during a protest march by BJP to the state assembly in Dehradun on Monday.
The incident happened during BJP’s march against “corruption and poor law and order” to the state assembly which was stopped at barricades put up by Uttarakhand police near Ripsana bridge, a few meters from the state assembly premises.
Hours after the incident, two videos, one of them purportedly showing the horse’s broken hind leg and the other showing the BJP MLA from Mussoorie attacking the horse with a lathi from the front, went viral on the social media.
These two videos sparked an allegation by Chief Minister Harish Rawat’s media in-charge Surendra Kumar that the animal had “fallen a victim to Joshi’s cruelty”.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sadanand Date told Times Of India that Shaktiman, the horse has suffered multiple fractures on its left hind leg and unfortunately, it has to be amputated.
“Shaktimaan has suffered multiple fractures, including a compound fracture, and was been taken to a veterinary hospital. There is virtually no hope for him to do police work in future. Now, our aim is to ensure a painless life for him. The leg will have to be amputated and we are just hoping that he recovers,” SSP Sadanand Date told TOI.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat visited the horse and inquired about his condition on Monday evening.
Dehradun: Chief Minister Harish Rawat inquires about health of the horse who was hit by BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi. pic.twitter.com/AmCQHrKU6e
— ANI (@ANI_news) March 14, 2016
Under fire for his display of animal cruelty, BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi initially had the audacity to make this bizarre statement.
The horse wasnt given any water throughout the day: BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi on injuring the horse during BJP protest pic.twitter.com/TXzhYu9ueN — ANI (@ANI_news) March 14, 2016
As soon as some water was given to the horse he was fine, he was just thirsty. I am not at fault at all: BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi
— ANI (@ANI_news) March 14, 2016
He later took to Facebook to clarify his stand and give an alternative view to the story.
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PFA - People For Animals Uttarakhand Please watch before believing the lies being perpetuated by media.
Posted by Ganesh Joshi on Monday, March 14, 2016
Shaktimaan, the horse was part of mounted police deployed to control the protest march called by the opposition party to protest against the state government’s alleged failure on all fronts including law and order and corruption.
BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi may remain defiant, denying that he was directly responsible for breaking the horse’s leg, but he cannot deny that it was because of his violent, unruly and cruel behaviour that Shaktimaan will have his leg amputated.
(Input Source: PTI)
