Hyderabad:Eleven of the 57 horses sent from Hyderabad to Jabalpur have died, with the most recent death being reported on Sunday. Eight of them died between May 7 and May 13, and by mid-June, the count had risen to eleven.
Veterinary officials in Jabalpur reportedly confirmed that the horse — bearing number 52 — had suffered from severe colic and displayed signs of intense abdominal distress. Another horse had died just days earlier, this pushes the number of deaths to double-digit.
Questions around the deaths escalated after reports suggested that at least one horse had tested positive for glanders, a contagious and often fatal bacterial infection. However, the National Research Centre on Equines (NRCE) in Hisar, where the samples were tested, has denied this.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, officials from NRCE clarified that no horse was tested positive for the disease. They stated that while one sample had shown borderline serological readings, there were no clinical symptoms or epidemiological links to confirm glanders. The animal was placed under observation out of caution, but not diagnosed. Another had already died before samples were taken.
The horses had been moved from Hyderabad to a farm near Panagar in Jabalpur, under the supervision of Sachin Tiwari, between April 29 and May 3.
Despite initial involvement from representatives of the Hyderabad Race Club and the Royal Western India Turf Club, local sources say that oversight was soon handed back to Tiwari, with no official presence remaining on the ground.
A petition filed in the Madhya Pradesh High Court on May 23 is set to be heard this week, according to local advocates familiar with the matter. The petition raises concerns about the manner in which the horses were transported and cared for, and questions the accountability of those involved. Meanwhile, those still alive remain under observation and the deaths, according to experts, point to systemic neglect rather than disease.
