Elephant polo protesters win day

An elephant polo match has been cancelled in the northern city of Jaipur after animal rights activists objected. The group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, called it "a victory for the elephants."

Carlsberg India had withdrawn its sponsorship of the Polo Cup in the state of Rajasthan after protests, Jaipur District Magistrate Naveen Mahajan said. Officials also found the elephants were not fully registered as performing animals.

Polo played on elephants, instead of horses, is a popular novelty sport in Nepal, India and Thailand, and has been staged in Jaipur for about four decades. Activists say elephants are trained harshly and poked with metal rods and hooks. AP