Supreme Chancellor — a 14-year-old horse belonging to Chennai’s mounted police — died of suspected sun stroke after it collapsed on Pantheon Road on Wednesday, while its care takers were taking care of an inspector general’s household works.
The dead horse was part of a 28-member mounted police wing of the Chennai police. “After its death, we have 27 horse left, including 11 mares,” city police sources said.
According to sources, a policeman was taking Supreme Chancellor back to Pudupet stable after showing him to a veterinary doctor at the veterinary hospital due to some ailment.
Tuesday was a hot day and the horse collapsed in the sun and died. “It died of sun stroke and was later buried in Kodungaiyur after post mortem.
However, enquires by senior officials indicate that there was nobody to look after the horse. The two policemen who were supposed to be taking care of the animal, were working as orderlies at the house of an IG.
Another horseman was asked to take care of Supreme Chancellor, which never happened,” sources said.
The particular IG has at least 33 orderlies working at his house and three sub-inspectors to manage the 33 orderlies in three shifts.
After the death of the horse, the IG was asked to immediately relieve the two policemen who were supposed to work at the stable.
At the stable, each horse is assigned caretakers who ensure that the horse is fed and bathed on a regular basis. Supreme Chancellor joined the city police in February 2008 when he was 11-years-old.