Villagers booked for setting dogs on wild boar

Video of dogs killing the defenceless animal went viral on social media

KARACHI:

A case has been registered in Badin for tying up a wild boar and unleashing dogs on the defenceless animal, resulting in its death.

The video of the gruesome act had gone viral on social media. ASI Fatah Mohammad registered a case in Nando Police Station under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, stating that Ali Bhargari, Qasim Mallah, Sajjad Ali Bhargari, Hanif Bajir, Pervez Shah and Rajab Khoso among others caught a wild boar from the bushes near Hussain Bajir village on January 27 at 9am.

In his complaint, Fatah said that the wild boar's legs were tied with ropes as dogs pounced on it, leaving him severely injured that ultimately resulted in its death. In the FIR, the plaintiff stated that he reached the spot as soon as information reached him. He found that 20 to 25 people had caught the boar and unleashed their dogs on it.

The video of the incident showed a dog-sized wild boar tied with a rope around its legs while people, both adults and children, stood around as spectators. According to the Badin police statement, SSP Shahnawaz Chachar, while taking notice of the incident, directed SHO Nando to file the case on behalf of the state.Badin police spokesperson Abdul Aziz informed The Express Tribune that police conducted raids on the village.

"No one is above the law and police is trying to catch persons involved in the murder of the animal," he said. However, Aziz informed that all the persons involved in the case have fled. "They have left their homes," he said. "The police are alert. It will trace them very soon," he claimed.

Police have registered a case under Section 429 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and the Cruelty Act 1890. It is to be noted that killing or poisoning of any animal has been made a crime under 429 PPC. Damage to an animal worth at least Rs500 is punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine. According to the Cruelty Act 1890, if a person kills an animal without any reason, he can be punished with a fine of Rs200 or six months imprisonment or both.

Though Rs200 sounds like a trivial amount, it was a huge sum in 1890. Some political and feudal families in interior Sindh hunt wild boar with the help of dogs in winter. However, this is a crime under the law. According to the wildlife department, due to awareness, people now condemn such incidents, adding that in the past people used to consider it entertainment.