Jogulamba Gadwal, Telangana: In a swift pre-dawn operation, police in Telangana’s Undavelly village rescued a male buffalo calf from an attempted illegal sacrifice, following a tip-off to animal rights group PETA India. The incident occurred in Jogulamba Gadwal district around 1:00 a.m. on 4 June, just as preparations for the ritual were underway.

Acting on information provided by PETA India, officials from the Undavelly Police Station intervened promptly and prevented the sacrifice. The rescue was made possible through the collaboration of local authorities and animal welfare workers, notably Latha Nimma, founder of Mettu Animal Samrakshan in Hyderabad, who first reported the case to PETA.

Following the intervention, the calf was placed under temporary care and has since been transferred to Kalote Animal Trust, an animal sanctuary in Raigad, Maharashtra, for medical treatment and long-term rehabilitation. The cross-state transfer was arranged by PETA India with the cooperation of local officials.

“Just as human sacrifice is now rightly recognised as murder, the outdated practice of animal sacrifice must also end,” said Meeth Ashar, Legal Advisor and Director of Cruelty Response at PETA India. “Thanks to the compassion and decisive action of the Undavelly police, especially Station House Officer P. Mahesh, a young buffalo calf was spared a brutal death.”

Animal sacrifice at places of religious worship is prohibited by law in several Indian states. While states like Gujarat, Kerala, Puducherry, and Rajasthan ban such practices outright at temples, states including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana specifically prohibit animal sacrifices at places of public worship or associated religious gatherings.