The President of National Horse Breeding Society of India (NHBSI) Farookh Wadia has sounded the alarm over a rapidly deteriorating situation that threatens to shake the very foundations of Indian horse racing and bring international disrepute to the nation`s equine management. In a strongly worded letter to the Chairman of the Turf Authorities of India, Farookh Wadia has laid bare a disturbing chain of events involving the reckless exploitation, abandonment, and death of horses originally housed at the Hyderabad Race Club.

At the core of this growing scandal is a dubious private racing league – HPSL League – which conducted match races with approximately 150 horses, both indigenously bred and thoroughbreds, for the purpose of fuelling illegal online betting operations in a foreign jurisdiction. Once the league collapsed, the horses were disgracefully abandoned – over 50 of them perished, and many were callously relocated to a makeshift facility in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, under horrific conditions. The NHBSI has categorically condemned this act as an unpardonable betrayal of equine welfare and a stain on Indian racing.

The Society rightly questions why these animals were not sheltered and treated at the Animal Welfare Society in Hyderabad, and instead subjected to unbearable privation and neglect. Their transport and treatment – or rather, lack thereof – represent a gross violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (1960), particularly Section 11(1), the PCA Transport Rules, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (2023), Section 325. The legal implications are severe, and the failure to act swiftly could have catastrophic consequences for the racing fraternity.

The situation has spiralled into a national controversy. A Hyderabad-based "tech entrepreneur," and his shadowy network of companies have emerged as key players in this sordid episode. The betting app at the heart of the operation – Tropang Karerista – was reportedly streaming races from India to a foreign audience, completely bypassing Indian regulatory oversight. When the app ran afoul of Philippine authorities in October 2024, operations abruptly ceased, and the horses were left to die – starved, wounded, and without basic medical attention.

The horrifying reality was exposed by Rajasthan-based polo player and equine activist Lavanya Shekhawat, who filed a complaint with PETA India. The subsequent investigation has uncovered an appalling trail of suffering: horses with ribs protruding, open wounds festering, and basic veterinary care denied. Reports from two veterinary surgeons – Dr. Prakash Mehra and Dr. Anil Lahane – confirm many medically indefensible action.

It took the intervention of animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi to finally force local authorities into action. The visuals and veterinary reports leave no doubt – this is a national disgrace, and without immediate accountability, it will inevitably escalate into an international scandal that could jeopardize India`s standing in global equestrian circles.

Despite the Hyderabad Race Club`s attempt to distance itself from the promotor Suresh Kumar, grave questions remain unanswered. How could such an operation run under the nose of the club? Why were 154 horses kept on their premises without oversight? Why was due diligence not conducted before granting HPSL access to the racecourse?

Worse still, the Turf Authorities of India – including BTC – accepted hefty sponsorships from HPSL without verifying their legitimacy. An internal committee member even raised red flags about the company`s opaque funding sources, but his concerns were brushed aside. The clubs are now exposed – both morally and legally – to potential government and criminal scrutiny.

In response, leading figures in the racing and breeding community – Ameeta Mehra, Vijay Shrike, Zeyn Mirza, Dr. C S Poonawalla, K N Dhunjibhoy, Tegbir Brar, Joydeep Dutta Gupta, Pesi Shroff, and Simone Poonawalla – have rallied to provide emergency aid: feed, medication, supplements, veterinary and farrier services. But private compassion cannot substitute for institutional accountability.

The NHBSI has called for an immediate, time-bound, and independent inquiry into the affair. It demands answers: How did such a criminally negligent operation take root within the premises of a premier turf club? Who authorized it? And who will be held responsible for the unspeakable cruelty inflicted on the animals?

If the Turf Authorities of India fail to act decisively and transparently, they risk triggering serious government action, including sanctions and criminal investigations. With the sport of racing already teetering under financial and reputational strain, this scandal could very well be the final straw.

The Turf Authorities of India must immediately sever all ties with the promoter of HPSL and cancel every existing sponsorship, webcast arrangement, and betting operation linked to companies run by Suresh Paladugu. Failing to do so will not only deepen the embarrassment already caused but also call into question the very integrity of the Indian racing ecosystem.

With damning evidence mounting and public outrage escalating, continued association with those responsible for this scandal will be seen as complicity. If Indian turf clubs wish to preserve even a shred of credibility — nationally and internationally — decisive action is non-negotiable.

This is no longer just a racing issue. It is a matter of national integrity, animal welfare, and international scrutiny. The racing community must act – not out of damage control, but out of conscience.