Traditional buffalo fights, locally known as ‘Moh juj’, were organised in parts of central Assam’s Morigaon district as part of Magh Bihu celebrations, despite a Supreme Court ban on such animal duels.
According to local media reports, the events were held at Baidyabori and Ahatguri, with participation from people of the surrounding areas. District officials declined to comment on the matter, stating that the issue is sub judice.
At Baidyabori, more than 40 pairs of buffaloes were brought by their owners, with some bouts reportedly lasting over 20 minutes. In Ahatguri, 33 pairs of buffaloes took part in the fights, which drew large crowds of spectators to witness the traditional event coinciding with the harvest festival.
The Assam government had issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in 2023 permitting buffalo and Bulbul bird fights during Magh Bihu. However, the Gauhati High Court quashed the SOP in December 2024, observing that it violated a 2014 Supreme Court judgment banning such practices.
While Bulbul bird fights are traditionally held at the Hayagriva Madhav temple in Hajo in Kamrup district, buffalo fights have historically taken place in Morigaon, Sivasagar and several Upper Assam districts, with Ahatguri being the most prominent venue.
Meanwhile, the state government has moved to legalise traditional buffalo fights by amending the existing law. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Assam Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was passed unanimously in the Assam Legislative Assembly in November, seeks to exclude traditional buffalo fights from the definition of animal cruelty, on the lines of the Jallikattu exemption in Tamil Nadu.
