Gurgaon: Animal rights activists accuse MCG of brutality to stray pigs

People for Animals in Gurgaon complained to the MCG commissioner that contractors assigned to catch stray pigs do so in a very cruel manner

A city-based animal rights body on Friday accused the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) of animal cruelty claiming that their staff capture pigs in a brutal manner and sell them to slaughterhouses.

Earlier this month, the MCG launched a drive to capture stray pigs in the city. (Parveen Kumar/HT File Photo)

A complaint addressed to the MCG commissioner stated that the contractors assigned to catch pigs run them down, separate piglets from their mothers, destroy herds, stand on them and inflict grievous injuries on them before capture.

Earlier this month, the MCG launched a drive to capture stray pigs in the city. “Over the last 10 days, as many as 500 stray pigs were caught and released outside the city precincts,” SS Rohilla, MCG spokesperson, said.

Animal rights activists alleged that the pigs are caught and transported in a cruel manner.

“The cruelty meted out to the pigs during displacement is clearly in violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, Slaughterhouse Rules, Transportation of Animals Act, and sections 166 and 217 of the Indian Penal Code (public servant disobeying direction of the law), in addition to guidelines laid down by the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI),” Amit Chaudhery, president, People For Animals (PFA), Gurgaon, said.

He said that the animal rights body has received bulk complaints of brutality to pigs and activists have also clicked pictures and made videos of such treatment.

“We have requested the corporation to ensure that there is no breach of rules with regard to capturing pigs. The staff have to ensure that the animals are handled with care and are not sold to illegal meat markets or slaughter houses,” Chaudhery said.

Residents also pointed that even though MCG staff do not have necessary authorisation or documents to sell the pigs in the market, they are involved in the illegal practice.

Anuradha Kawatra, a resident of South City 1, said, “People involved in catching pigs have admitted to selling them in markets, which is illegal. They are told by the MCG to release stray pigs outside city limits and not sell them to slaughterhouses.”

However, MCG contractors denied selling captured stray pigs to slaughter houses. “Since the drive was launched, we have been catching pigs and releasing them outside Gurgaon,” Satpal, an MCG contractor, said.