NewKerala.com

Robotic Mules Replace Horses in Kolkata's R-Day Parade After 4-Year Ban

The Kolkata Police's Mounted Police unit will not participate in the Republic Day parade for the fourth consecutive year. This ongoing exclusion stems from a 2022 incident where a horse broke formation and turned its back on the then-Governor during the salute. Instead of the traditional cavalry, spectators will see the Indian Army's mechanical 'robotic mules' in the parade. However, the mounted police will still be on duty in the Maidan area to manage crowds and maintain law and order.

Key Points: Kolkata Mounted Police Excluded from Republic Day Parade Again

  • Mounted unit excluded for 4th year
  • 2022 horse disrupted parade
  • Horse turned back on Governor
  • Robotic mules to replace horses
  • Unit will still provide security
2 min read

Kolkata Mounted Police excluded from R-Day parade for 4th consecutive year

Kolkata's Mounted Police miss 4th straight Republic Day parade since a 2022 horse incident involving then-Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar. Robotic mules to feature instead.

"the Mounted Police have been kept out of the parade for the fourth consecutive year - Kolkata Police Sources"

Kolkata, Jan 25

The Kolkata Police's Mounted Police will not participate in the Republic Day parade on the Red Road on Sunday. Sources in Kolkata Police said on Sunday that the Mounted Police have been kept out of the parade for the fourth consecutive year since a 2022 incident where a horse turned its back on the then-Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar during the salute.

However, spectators can find some consolation in seeing the Indian Army's mechanical 'robotic mules' instead of the real horses.

Although the horses will not be participating in the parade, the mounted police unit will be on duty in the Maidan area from morning on Republic Day. The police cavalry will be keeping a watchful eye to ensure that spectators attending the parade do not face any problems and that law and order are maintained.

It may be recalled that on January 26, 2022, the Republic Day parade began with a contingent of the Army's Eastern Command marching down the Red Road. The Kolkata Police's mounted unit paraded with their horses, and 20 of them moved forward in perfect formation, step by step. An officer of the Kolkata Mounted Police saluted while seated on his horse. However, one of the horses suddenly broke away from the group and caused a disturbance. At that time, it was 11 years old.

Before this, it had participated in the Republic Day and Independence Day parades about four times. But on that day, it broke away from the group and turned its back towards the then-Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar.

Officials at Lalbazar investigated and found that the parade on Red Road was being shown on a giant screen located beside the road. When the horse moved away, at that moment, the images of the mounted police were being shown on the screen. The authorities attributed the incident to the horse being distracted by its own image on the screen.

Although the horse was brought into line within seconds and the mounted police's parade carried on, this unit of the Kolkata Police has not participated in Republic Day and Independence Day parades since then. According to sources at Lalbazar (Kolkata Police headquarters), the mounted police will not participate in this year's parade either.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
While I understand the need for discipline, the explanation makes sense - the horse was distracted by its own image. It was an animal being an animal. Holding a grudge for so long feels a bit petty. They are still on duty in Maidan, so clearly they are capable.
R
Rohit P
Robotic mules? Seriously? What's next, robotic soldiers? Some things should remain traditional. The sight of the horses on Red Road is iconic. This decision is taking the soul out of the parade.
P
Priyanka N
With all due respect to the authorities, this seems like an overreaction. The incident lasted seconds and was not malicious. The horses and their riders train hard for this. Denying them this honour for so long is demoralizing. Time to forgive and move on.
V
Vikram M
Maybe it's for the best. If there's a chance of disruption during a national event, better to be safe. The robotic mules show our technological progress. But I do miss the horses. Can't they just put a small screen test for the horses before the parade? 😅
K
Kavya N
The poor horse! It was just 11 years old and probably got confused. It's sad that a moment of confusion has led to the sidelining of a whole unit that represents our city's police history. Hope good sense prevails and they are included next year.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50