Kochi: A bizarre accident unfolded on the Ernakulam Container Terminal Road on Saturday night when a man on horseback, reportedly intoxicated, collided with a car.

The collision resulted in severe injuries to the horse, which was found unable to move with what appeared to be a broken front leg. Local residents stated the rider was travelling on the wrong side of the road at the time of the crash.

Cheranalloor police were on the scene, confirming the accident took place around 10 pm on the road stretch leading towards Kalamassery. "Due to the impact, the horse's front leg seems to be broken, and it can't move," a police official stated.

“Veterinary doctors are on the spot, and attempts are being made to use a crane to move the animal for urgent medical care. We are in the process of identifying the rider and will register a case,” said the police.

TK Sajeev, the secretary of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Ernakulam, claimed that the rider's intoxication and dangerous riding had led to the crash. Sajeev noted that the horse's injuries were serious and that it might need to be transported to the veterinary medical college in Mannuthy for specialised treatment.

“The rider claimed the horse wasn't his, which would make the owner equally responsible. Riding a horse on public roads requires a permit, and as such, a case should be filed against both the rider and the owner. The SPCA plans to file a formal complaint regarding the incident,” he said.

A video circulating online shows local residents expressing their outrage against the rider over the accident.