The Uttarakhand police horse Shaktimaan who was injured during a BJP protest in Dehradun passed away on Wednesday.
The 14-year-old police horse was injured during a protest led by BJP workers in which it was allegedly thrashed by Mussoorie MLA, Ganesh Joshi. The horse was left with a broken leg which later had to amputated.
Union Minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi demanded the arrest of the person responsible for Shaktimaan’s death and was harshly critical of the use of horses in the police force.
I am deeply saddened by the death of Shaktimaan. It is an extremely unfortunate incident. Horses should no longer be part of our police system.Maneka Gandhi
They (horses) serve no purpose and in every crowd engagement they are at the mercy of any vicious person who is too cowardly to do anything but injure the defenceless animal. Shaktimaan was a police officer on duty and the person who put her through so much pain and ultimately killed her should be arrested for killing a police officer.Maneka Gandhi
The Congress party leader and ousted chief minister of Uttarakhand, Harish Rawat expressed his shock at the death of Shaktimaan.
Also Read: Dear Shaktiman, We Humans Have Failed You...
I am shocked. I can’t express my feelings in words. We all thought that Shaktimaan was recovering and getting well.Randeep Surajewala, Congress
Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has expressed condolence on the horse’s death but blamed state government for not paying enough medical attention to her.
Deeply saddened by Shaktimaan’s death. However, the state government is to be blamed for her death as adequate medical treatment was not provided.Ajay Bhatt, Bhartiya Janata Party
Animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi has called the incident tragic.
It’s a tragic incident but Shaktimaan died the day she was injured. It’s tough for horses of Shaktimaan’s size to survive on three legs.Gauri Maulekhi, Animal Rights Activist
An incredibly generous gesture was shown by Tim Mahoney, a 54-year-old residing in Kentucky, to travel over 12,000 km to Dehradun and deliver a prosthetic limb to the injured Shaktimaan.
Condolences for Shaktimaan poured in on social media:
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)