Rs 15-crore horse, Rs 23-crore buffalo steal spotlight at Rajasthan's Pushkar Fair
Pushkar (PTI): A horse worth Rs 15 crore, a Rs 23-crore buffalo and a cow just 16 inches tall are the star attractions of the Pushkar Cattle Fair in Rajasthan, one of India's most prominent livestock fairs known for showcasing elite breeds and record-breaking valuation of animals.
Although the fair will start from October 30 and continue till November 5, livestock traders and enthusiasts have already started to gather at the site.
Of the more than 4,300 animals, including 3,028 horses and 1,306 camels, that have been registered for the fair, the centrepiece is a two-and-a-half-year-old stallion, Shahbaz, owned by Chandigarh-based breeder Gary Gill, which has drawn a massive crowd.
"Shahbaz has won multiple shows and comes from a prestigious lineage. His covering fee is Rs 2 lakh, and the asking price is Rs 15 crore," Gill said, adding that he has already received offers up to Rs 9 crore for the Marwari breed horse.
Another showstopper is 1,500-kg Anmol, a buffalo priced at Rs 23 crore. Its owner, Palmindra Gill, said the animal is "raised like royalty" and is fed milk, desi ghee, and dry fruits daily.
Joining the line-up is Rana, a buffalo from Ujjain valued at Rs 25 lakh and weighing 600 kg. The animal consumes food worth Rs 1,500 a day, including gram flour, eggs, oil, milk, ghee, and liver tonic.
Also at the fair is Badal, a veteran Marwari stallion and father of 285 colts, who has reportedly attracted offers of up to Rs 11 crore but remains unsold.
Adding a unique charm to the fair, Abhinav Tiwari from Jaipur's Bagru has brought over 15 cows of different breeds, including one that stands just 16 inches tall, believed to be among the smallest in the fair.
DSP (Ajmer Rural) Ramchandra Chaudhary said that this year, the Pushkar Fair will see a larger police deployment compared to previous years.
"More than 2,000 police personnel will be deployed during the fair. All officers have been briefed properly to ensure that visitors face no inconvenience," he said.
Rajasthan's Animal Husbandry Department has intensified monitoring to ensure the health and safety of the livestock arriving for trade at the fair, an official said.
The department's joint director, Sunil Ghiya, said dedicated checkpoints have been set up on routes being used by traders and herders to bring animals to the fair. "Every animal will be registered, examined by veterinary doctors, and tagged before entry," he said.
The officer noted that such precautions are essential as large gatherings of livestock increase the risk of communicable diseases. "The department has deployed veterinary teams and officials on a 24-hour duty schedule at the fairgrounds," Ghiya added.
He further said that animal records, particularly for camels, cows, buffaloes and horses, are being digitised as part of a larger initiative to ensure transparency and traceability in livestock management.
The fairground is abuzz with tourists and traders. Livestock trading and competitions like best milk producer, best horse breed, and best-dressed camel are underway, an official said.
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J’khand: All 7 on board air ambulance killed in crash, bodies brought to hospital for post-mortem
Ranchi (PTI): All seven persons on board an air ambulance were killed after the aircraft crashed near Simaria in Jharkhand’s Chatra district, and their bodies have been brought to a hospital for post-mortem examination, officials said on Tuesday.
The Beechcraft C90 air ambulance, operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, was en route to Delhi from Ranchi when it crashed on Monday evening in the Bariatu Panchayat area of Simaria, located deep inside a forest, killing all seven onboard, including two pilots.
"We have brought all the seven bodies for post-mortem at Sadar Hospital, Chatra. The crash is being investigated," an official told PTI.
ALSO READ: Air ambulance with 7 onboard to Delhi from Ranchi crashes in Jharkhand's Chatra
The aircraft took off from Ranchi airport at 7.11 pm and went missing around 7.30 pm. It lost contact with the air traffic control about 20 minutes after departure, he said.
Ranchi airport director Vinod Kumar said inclement weather could be a possible reason behind the crash, though the exact cause would be ascertained after a detailed probe.
Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari said the state government will conduct a probe into how permission was given to the aircraft to fly during “inclement weather”. He also said proper compensation would be given to the kin of the deceased.
Terming the crash extremely unfortunate, Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth said unpleasant weather could be one of the reasons, which will be determined by the probe.
In a post on X, former chief minister and BJP leader Champai Soren said he was deeply saddened.
The deceased have been identified as Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat, Captain Savrajdeep Singh, Sanjay Kumar, Dr Vikas Kumar Gupta, Sachin Kumar Mishra, Archana Devi and Dhuru Kumar.
Meanwhile, a lingering sense of grief prevailed in Chatra district, as the near and dear ones of those killed in the crash expressed shock and disbelief.
Bajrangi Prasad, the father of deceased Dr Vikas Kumar Gupta, said he had sold all his land to make his son a doctor, who was posted at Sadar Hospital in Ranchi.
"He has a seven-year-old son... He was meritorious and had completed his MBBS from Odisha’s Cuttack," Prasad, who hails from Bihar’s Aurangabad district, said.
Family members of Sanjay Kumar (41), however, blamed the “poor” health infrastructure behind the tragedy.
"Had we given proper treatment to my brother-in-law Sanjay in Ranchi, precious lives could have been saved. I lost both both Sanjay and sister Archana Devi in the incident," Kumar said.
Chatra Deputy Commissioner Keerthishree G had earlier told PTI that the bodies of all seven deceased were retrieved from the crash site and shifted to Chatra hospital for post-mortem examination.
In a statement, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the Beechcraft C90 aircraft (VT-AJV) was operating a medical evacuation flight on the Ranchi-Delhi sector when it crashed in Kasaria Panchayat of Chatra district.
“The aircraft was airborne from Ranchi at 19:11 IST. After establishing contact with Kolkata at 19:34 IST, the aircraft lost communication and radar contact with Kolkata at approximately 100 nautical miles south-east of Varanasi,” it said, adding that there were seven people on board, including two crew members.
An Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) team has been dispatched to the crash site.
According to the DGCA website, Delhi-based non-scheduled operator Redbird has six aircraft in its fleet, including the one that crashed.
Anant Sinha, CEO of Devkamal Hospital in Ranchi, told PTI that the air ambulance was arranged by one of their patients.
"The patient, Sanjay Kumar, a resident of Chandwa in Latehar district, was brought to the hospital with 65 per cent burn injuries on February 16. He was being treated in the hospital," he said.
The family members decided to take him to Delhi for better treatment, Sinha said.
"They arranged for an air ambulance on Monday. The patient left the hospital for Delhi around 4.30 pm," he said.
