FIRs under Animal Cruelty Act: Insensitive cops often drag heels

PRAYAGRAJ: Animal rights activists and organisations have demanded that the law (Cruelty to Animals Act) be amended and the penalty for animal abuse be increased, which will help control incidents in the future.

Animal rights activist and lawyer Awdhesh Rai, who has lodged at least five FIRs for cruelty to animals, said that most times policemen themselves are insensitive towards such incidents. “Many policemen get shocked when they are handed over complaints regarding cruelty to animals. Even if they lodge an FIR, they show little interest in taking further action. Till now, I have lodged FIRs at Colonelganj, Kotwali, Kareli police stations for cruelty to dogs, monkeys and cows,” Rai said.

“In some cases, police failed to trace the culprits and submitted a final report, while in others they tried to save the culprits on one pretext or another. The police are often insensitive towards such cases. Once when I called dial-112 to rescue a monkey, the policemen who arrived at the scene seemed shocked and advised me to help humans instead of caring for a monkey.

“At present, the Cruelty to Animals Act has a maximum punishment of five years under section 429 and two years imprisonment under section 428 of IPC under both of which arrests cannot be made immediately. Moreover, the fine for the offence is also too little to be a deterrent. An amendment to the law and increase in punishment will definitely bring down the number of such cases,” Rai suggested.

Recently, animal right activist Sushmita Jaiswal, who works for Raksha organization, lodged an FIR against a woman at Atarsuiya police station for killing two stray puppies outside her residence. “I have registered the case but further action is yet to be taken as the woman who killed the puppies is elderly and is giving many excuses for her misact.

Earlier, my colleague tried to lodge an FIR against a youth who shot a dog dead in Kareli area. However, no action was taken as the youth’s father was himself in the police department. In many cases, no FIRs were lodged while in others, further action is yet awaited,” Sushmita complained.

Circle officer Bairana Astha Jaiswal said the elderly woman accused of killing puppies in Atarsuiya area has claimed to have done so in rage as they used to litter the space outside her house.

“The police should not take such cases casually as no one has the right to torture or kill animals. Instructions will be issued to take such incidents seriously and initiate action after FIRs are lodged,” the CO added.