Horse Suspended by Front Legs and Ruthlessly Beaten—FIR Registered in Ballia Following PETA India Complaint
After a video went viral on Instagram showing a horse being ruthlessly beaten with a stick while being suspended by front legs to a cart for being unable to carry heavy loads, PETA India worked with the Ballia police specially, Shri Omvir Singh, IPS, Superintendent of Police, Shri Dinesh Kumar Shukla, Additional Superintendent of Police, Shri Anil Kumar Singh, Sub Inspector and in charge of Sehtawar Police, and with animal rights activist, Rishika Roy, to ensure that a first information report (FIR) was registered under relevant stringent sections of the law.
An FIR was registered under Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960. Section 325 of the BNS, 2023, categorises mischief by killing, poisoning, maiming, or rendering useless of any animal as a cognisable offence and prescribes a punishment of imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years, or with a fine, or with both.
It has been reported that the accused later sold the horse and has since moved to Deoria. PETA India has urged the Ballia Police to trace the horse’s whereabouts, seize the victim horse, and summon the accused to Ballia for investigation.
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 to animals were [three] times more likely to commit other crimes, including murder, rape, robbery, assault, harassment, threats, and drug/substance abuse.”
PETA India has long campaigned to strengthen the PCA Act, 1960, which contains outdated, inadequate penalties, such as a maximum fine of only Rs 50 for convicted first-time offenders (although the BNS, 2023, prescribes stronger punishments). In a proposal sent to the central government regarding an amendment to the PCA Act, PETA India has recommended significantly increasing penalties for cruelty to animals.
Those who abuse animals often move on to harming humans. For everyone’s safety, it’s imperative that members of the public always report cruelty to animals.
