Kurnool: Preliminary Offence Report Registered for Killing Wild Life Following PETA India Complaint
In response to disturbing video footage publicly uploaded on YouTube depicting the horrific killing of snakes and a hare protected under the Wild Life (Protection) Act (WPA), 1972, PETA India, in coordination with Md Idris, from Sanghamitra Animal Foundation, collaborated with the Kurnool Forest Division of Andhra Pradesh Forest Department to ensure that a preliminary offence report (POR) was registered. The key accused has been arrested and is currently in the custody of the Forest Department. Further investigation is underway.
The shocking incidents reportedly took place in P Kotakonda village, Devanakonda Mandal, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. Videos capture the gruesome killing of two Russell’s Vipers, a snake species protected under Schedule I of the WPA, 1972, by being violently bludgeoned with a stick in agricultural fields. Other footage shows the unlawful trapping of an Indian hare, a species protected under Schedule II of the Act, who had wandered into the fields. The hare is later shown motionless, presumably killed shortly after capture.
The POR was registered under Sections 2(5), 2(16)(a), (b), and (c), 2(36), 2(37), 9, 39, and 50 of the WPA, 1972. The offences are non-bailable and punishable with a jail term of at least three years, which may extend to seven years, and a fine of at least ₹25,000.
We commend Smt. P Syamala, IFS, Divisional Forest Officer, Kurnool Division, and Ms Tejaswi P, Forest Range Officer, Adoni, for registering the POR and sending a clear message that cruelty to wildlife will not be tolerated. Humans are encroaching on animals’ homes, not the other way around.
Snakes and hares play vital roles in maintaining the balance of ecosystems and are key indicators of environmental health. Snakes are both predators and prey. By controlling certain species, they indirectly protect plants. Meanwhile, hares aid plant growth through their digestion and excretion of plant material.
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 the 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.”
