Hundreds break Covid rules to attend funeral for a horse in southern India

Hundreds of mourners broke Covid regulations to attend the funeral of a “divine” horse that belonged to a religious organisation in Karnataka in southern India — resulting in the authorities sealing the entire village.

On Sunday, in Karnataka’s Belagavi district, hundreds of people were seen flouting Covid safety protocols on distancing, mask-wearing and large gatherings in order to mark the funeral of a horse that villagers considered to be their “guardian deity” against the coronavirus.

Videos of the incident that were widely shared on Indian social media have garnered anger and criticism.

The local authorities in Belagavi have sealed the entire village of Gokak Taluk where the incident took place, and say it will remain closed off for the next 14 days while villagers are tested and monitored for symptoms.

The 24-year-old horse was let loose three days before he died to roam the village freely, in the belief that this would ward off disease and save homes from the second wave of Covid that has devastated India.

Authorities said villagers believed they should attend the funeral to give the horse a proper send off and pacify the gods.

The police have registered a complaint — under sections of the disaster management act and Karnataka Epidemic Act — against villagers who flouted mask and social distancing rules during the funeral. Police say they are now trying to identify those responsible for the gathering.

The horse was made to roam the village to ward off Covid-19 during the first wave as well last year, and villagers said there was not a single death as a result of the virus.

The horse — who didn’t have a name, in line with religious customs — was brought to Maradi village on 19 May and was let loose that night to roam the village. The religious organisation — locally called a mutt — to which the horse belonged, said that it returned to its shed around 3pm on Thursday. It was found dead there on Sunday.

The local health officer Muttana Koppad told the Times of India that they have been ordered to conduct at least 450 Covid tests among villagers who attended the funeral but that so far only 25 tests have been done, with nobody testing positive. Mr Koppad said that more tests will be conducted among villagers who display any symptoms of Covid-19.

It is customary for horses to be given as gifts to mutts. This particular horse was gifted by one Manjunath Hukkeri to a local seer at the mutt, Pawadeshwara Maha Swamiji. The horse had been with him since it was three years old.

Mr Hukkeri told the Times of India: “Elders say that in the time of plague and cholera too, mutt horses were left to walk in the village to protect residents.” He added: “The seer urged people not to attend the funeral in large numbers due to the pandemic but villagers rushed to pay their respects.”

Many online expressed anger at the irresponsibility of the villagers and also local authorities who let the people gather in the first place. Karnataka’s home minister Basavaraj Bomma had said that the district administration will look into the incident.