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Two men arrested for killing cobra, posting video of mutilated carcass
PETA authorities stated that the offence was non-bailable and punishable with three to seven years of imprisonment and a minimum fine of ₹25,000.
Two Ballia men landed themselves in jail after they not only killed an Indian cobra but also posted online a video of the snake’s mutilated carcass, said senior police officials on Tuesday. One of them was later released on bail.
The incident reportedly took place in an area under Fefna police station of Ballia district.
Sanjay Sahani and Vikram Verma were arrested and booked under relevant sections of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 as the species is protected under Schedule I of the Act. The complaint in this case was lodged by a forest official on the intervention of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) after they noticed the video on social media.
PETA authorities stated that the offence was non-bailable and punishable with three to seven years of imprisonment and a minimum fine of ₹25,000.
Akhand Pratap Singh, the forester who lodged the complaint, said while the snake was killed in Sahani’s house, Verma uploaded the video of the snake in which its body appeared mutilated. He said the duo was arrested and sent to jail, but Verma was later bailed out after he gave a statement that the snake was killed in the house of Sahani.
The said incident reportedly took place a day after Holi on March 26 when the cobra was spotted in the house of Sahani at Adarsh Nagar locality under Fefna police station limits. Verma told police that the snake was already dead when he reached Sahani’s residence.
Speaking about the incident, a PETA worker said his colleagues reached out to police following a complaint from a concerned citizen and the viral video.
“This cobra was forced to endure a painful and unnecessary death,” says PETA India cruelty response coordinator Sunayana Basu. “We thank the Uttar Pradesh forest department and Dr Bonik Chandra Brahma, IFS, chief conservator of forests, Eastern Zone, for their swift action in letting the public know that cruelty to animals will not be tolerated. We urge anyone who comes across a snake to call the forest department rather than commit a crime.”
