Wildlife Offence Report Registered Over Wildlife Hunting and Killing Videos, Man Jailed in Kalaburagi, Following PETA India Complaint
After learning of disturbing videos published on Instagram account “karnatak_king.5050” by an individual named Arun Jadhav showing him stalking, terrifying, killing and then posing with hunted wild animals protected under Schedules I and II of the Wild Life (Protection) Act (WPA), 1972 (as amended in 2022), PETA India worked with the Kalaburagi Forest Division of the Karnataka Forest Department to get a Preliminary Offence Report (POR) registered against him. He was arrested, produced before a court, and remanded to judicial custody until 16 November and remains in jail.
The content depicts cruel methods used to hunt wild animals protected under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, including Indian porcupines and Bengal monitors, listed under Schedule I, and wild boars, Indian hares, grey francolins, and oriental honey buzzards, listed under Schedule II. The methods shown include trapping animals in large nets and attacking them with sticks, chasing and cornering them with dogs, stabbing them with spears, striking them with rocks, and shooting them using guns. The dogs used in the hunts were also put at risk of serious injury from wild boars and porcupine quills.
Acting on PETA India’s complaint, Shri Ashish Reddy M V IFS, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Kalaburagi registered a Preliminary Offence Report (POR) against the accused citing Sections 2(1), 9, 39, 44, 49B, 50, 51, and 55 of the WPA, 1972, as well as provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. Efforts are underway to identify and apprehend others allegedly involved in the hunting.
Offences involving species protected under Schedule I are punishable with imprisonment of at least three years, which may extend to seven years, and a fine of at least ₹25,000, while offences involving species protected under Schedule II are punishable with imprisonment of up to three years, or a fine of up to ₹1 lakh, or both.
In addition to criminal penalties including jail time, PETA India recommends that perpetrators of animal abuse undergo a psychiatric evaluation and receive counselling, as abusing animals indicates a deep psychological disturbance. Research shows that people who commit acts of cruelty to animals are often repeat offenders who move on to hurting other animals, including humans. A study published in Forensic Research & Criminology International Journal stated, “Those who engage in cruelty to animals were [three] times more likely to commit other crimes, including murder, rape, robbery, assault, harassment, threats, and drug/substance abuse.”
