Kozhikode man shoots neighbour after grouse on horseshit, jailed; his ponies left starving as authorities pass buck

Two scrawny ponies, starved and tired, have become the unlikely subjects of an administrative tussle in Kozhikode. At a makeshift shelter strewn with hay strands near Vellayil beach in Kozhikode, the horses remain tied up at the property after their owner has been jailed in a case of shooting.

Neighbours say the horses have been deprived of regular feeding and adequate care, with occasional help from local residents proving insufficient to meet their daily needs. Meanwhile, the Vellayil police, unable to find an agency willing to take custody of the animals, have sought the intervention of the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) and the Animal Husbandry Department. However, neither of the authorities has yet responded to the request, leaving the horses in an uncertain and distressing situation.

The crisis began on October 5, when the horses’ owner, Shimjith, was arrested and remanded in connection with an alleged attempt to murder his neighbour, Pushpa, following a dispute over horse waste. Since then, the animals have become an unexpected responsibility for the police, who are struggling to arrange for their care.

The Kozhikode city corporation was the first agency approached by the police for assistance as police station has no facility to keep the animals. However, the civic body declined the request, citing the absence of provisions to take responsibility for animals that have owners, even if those owners are unable to care for them.

Following the corporation’s refusal, the police wrote to the RDO and the Animal Husbandry Department, requesting that the horses be taken into custody. No response has been received so far, said Vellayil sub-inspector Saneesh U.

“We have written to the RDO and the Animal Husbandry Department authorities, requesting them to take custody of the horses. We have not received a response yet. For now, the horses remain at their owner's house. We hope the authorities will take custody of them soon,” Saneesh said.

Corporation cites lack of provisions and facilities
The Kozhikode corporation has maintained that it cannot take responsibility for the horses under the present circumstances.

“We can take action when animals are found straying on the streets without owners. Here, the horses have an owner, although he is currently in judicial custody. We do not have a provision to take them in. We also lack a shelter suitable for horses and personnel trained to handle them,” a corporation official told Onmanorama.

The civic body has informed the police that arranging for the horses’ care remains the responsibility of their owner. It has also suggested that the police approach a magistrate’s court for permission to hand over the animals to a voluntary organisation equipped to care for them.

Residents struggle to keep the horses fed
In the initial days after Shimjith’s arrest, members of some voluntary organisations visited the shelter and fed the horses. However, the visits stopped after about two days, leaving neighbours to make occasional attempts to feed the animals.

“At first, members of some voluntary organisations came and fed the horses. But after two days, that also stopped. Now, we do not know how to feed them. After some people gave them rice and ordinary food waste collected from hotels, the animals developed health problems. We have since occasionally given them fodder, but they need regular care, which we cannot afford,” said Babu, a neighbour.

He added that fodder is available in a nearby paddy field, but collecting it is difficult for him.

“People who care for other animals may know how to look after them. But when it comes to horses, many are unfamiliar with their feeding requirements and other needs. It is very sad that we are leaving these animals in such a condition,” said Reshma, who runs a small grocery shop nearby.

Chandran and Nirmala, a couple living near the shelter, have also urged the authorities to move the horses to a safe place as soon as possible, expressing concern over their deteriorating condition.

Animal rights activist offers to take custody
Shimil Malappuram, an animal rights activist who visited the horses two days ago, said his team was willing to take custody of the animals and look after them until Shimjith returns from jail.

He said he had already informed the authorities of the offer, but they declined to hand over the horses, citing practical difficulties arising from legal hurdles.

“As the owner is in jail in connection with a case related to the horses, the authorities said handing over custody without an official order could create further problems in the future. If the authorities hand them over to us through an official order, we are ready to take care of them,” Shimil said.

Dispute over horse waste led to shooting
Shimjith had been rearing the two horses in a stable close to the boundary of Pushpa’s property. The area around the stable was allegedly unhygienic and emitted a foul smell, prompting Pushpa to question him about the disposal of horse waste.

The disagreement allegedly escalated into a shooting on the morning of October 5 in the courtyard of Shimjith’s house. He allegedly fired at Pushpa, causing serious injuries to the right side of her abdomen and the left side of her chest. Pushpa remains under treatment at a hospital in the city.

With Shimjith in judicial custody and Pushpa still undergoing treatment, the two horses have been left at the centre of a problem that neither the civic body nor the other authorities have yet resolved.