Horse dies in firecracker frenzy outside Kolkata's Eden Gardens after India-South Africa match

Voice of Reason, a Kolkata Police horse, died after a heart attack after India's win against South Africa at Eden Gardens. (Representational)

Voice of Reason, a horse of the Kolkata Mounted Police, died of a heart attack brought on by a barrage of celebratory fireworks that illuminated the night sky over the iconic Maidan grounds across Eden Gardens. The incident unfolded in the aftermath of the India-South Africa World Cup match; fireworks were set off after India’s victory, Times of India reported.

Voice of Reason, a stallion aged approximately 5 years and 10 months, and the offspring of a champion mare, stood on duty alongside his handler, Animesh Chakraborty, just across the road from the Eden Gardens Club House. Little did they know that a jubilant display of fireworks would soon plunge them into a nightmare.

As the evening sky was set ablaze by an array of fireworks, panic gripped the stallion. The deafening explosion of aerial firecrackers, numbering at least 150, resounded in the vicinity for five minutes, commencing at 8.33 pm. Witnesses observed the visibly distressed horse as he charged toward the parking lot with terror in his eyes.

His handler attempted to calm his companion, but the fear in Voice of Reason's eyes overcame all attempts at restraint. The onlooking crowd, comprised of ardent cricket fans waiting outside the ground, bore witness to the harrowing spectacle.

The horse, in his frenzied state, first collided with a car whose door had just been opened, resulting in damage to both vehicle and horse. Subsequently, he stumbled to the ground, only to rise with a desperate determination. With a powerful kick, he struck the car's door and rushed toward the area designated for parked motorcycles.

In the wake of this calamity, numerous vehicles lay in ruin. It was only through the combined efforts of law enforcement personnel and onlookers that the distressed animal was finally reined in. A traffic cop secured the horse to a tree before fellow mounted police officers arrived to shepherd him back to a stable, located approximately 1 km away.

The trauma of the incident took a severe toll on 'Voice of Reason.' A resident veterinarian attempted to revive him through CPR, but at 10.30 pm, the horse died.

A senior official from the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) confirmed that the fireworks, which erupted just outside the Club House, were organized by an agency appointed by the cricketing body.

The official told TOI, "We sought the necessary permissions for the fireworks. Normally, firework displays during events such as the IPL take place within designated areas inside the Eden Gardens complex. However, on this particular Sunday, given the presence of numerous VIPs, it was decided to use the area outside the stadium. An open space near the Rangers' Club was cordoned off for the purpose."