110 goats missing from Noida animal shelter, manager booked

Police said he 110 goats were rescued from their owner, Santosh, under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and were then left in the care of the animal shelter under its manager

The Noida Authority’s animal shelter manager was booked on Friday for criminal breach of trust after 110 goats, which were rescued by the police last year and put under his care, allegedly died.

Police said the shelter at sector 94, Noida, will have to show autopsy reports or other evidence to prove the death of the goats. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

The sector 20 police station had received information last year that 110 goats were being transported from Delhi to Auraiya, Uttar Pradesh and were crammed together in an inhumane condition in the vehicle.

“The 110 goats were rescued from their owner, Santosh, under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. They were then left in the care of the animal shelter under its manager,” said Manoj Kumar, SHO of Sector 20 police station.

He added, “The owner has now got a release order from the court, but the shelter informed him that none of the goats was there.” The shelter manager told Santosh that all the goats died from an illness over the past year, police said.

Following a complaint from Santosh, police filed a case against the shelter manager for not complying with the court’s orders under Section 406 (criminal breach of trust) of the Indian Penal Code.

“We are collecting evidence and interrogating the manager. The shelter will have to now show autopsy reports or other details to prove the death of the animals. All such relevant paperwork will also be sought,” said the SHO.

Noida Authority officials said they were unaware of any large-scale death of animals at the shelter in Sector 94. The management of the shelter has been outsourced to a private group, officials said.