Ensure no animal sacrifice during Chhatar yatra, orders Odisha HC

Bhawanipatna, Jan 9: Orissa High court has ordered to put a blanket ban on animal sacrifice during famous Chhatar yatra at Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district. District collector and SP will personally be responsible if animal sacrifice takes place during the Chhatar yatra, the court ruled on Wednesday, taking a strong stand on the inhuman act due to superstition. The court directed the district administration to carry out awareness campaigns before one month of the festival to aware people against the ritual. It also ordered to make elaborate security arrangements and install CCTV cameras at the spot of sacrifice. Hundreds of animals get sacrificed every year on the occasion of Chhatar yatra of the goddess Manikeswari in the tribal dominated district. As per rituals, devotees sacrifice animals, were offered to the deity to fulfill their wishes, on the road when the yatra goes from the main temple to jenakhol, a distance of 3 km in the town.