For Immediate Release:
24 June 2024
Contact:
Meet Ashar; AsharM@petaindia.org
Hiraj Laljani; HirajL@petaindia.org
Kolkata – After learning that a man killed a 4-month-old kitten by throwing them from the 13th floor of a building, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India worked with the man’s wife, Fabiha Hashmi, to file a formal complaint with Tangra Police Station. Based on Ms Hashmi’s complaint, a first information report was registered against the accused under sections 323, 341, and 429 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, and Section 11(1) of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960. The shocking incident was reported to PETA India by a concerned family friend. The group was informed that in a fit of rage during a fight with his wife, the accused picked up the kitten, who was sleeping beside the couple’s daughter, and threw the animal out of the window, killing them immediately.
“Violence towards animals within the household often occurs alongside domestic violence. Those who abuse animals also often harm humans. It is imperative that members of the public report cases of cruelty to animals such as this one for everyone’s safety,” says PETA India Cruelty Response Coordinator Sinchana Subramanyan. “We commend the Tangra Police Station for their prompt action and sending the message that cruelty to animals will not be tolerated.”
PETA India recommends that perpetrators of animal abuse undergo psychiatric evaluation and receive counselling, as abusing animals indicates 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. For example, Ameerul Islam, convicted of raping and murdering a Kerala law student, had a history of raping and killing dogs and goats. A study published in the Journal of Emotional Abuse found that 71% of abused women with companion animals who sought shelter at a safe home confirmed that their partner had threatened, injured, or killed animals.
PETA India – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way” – has long campaigned for strengthening the PCA Act, 1960, which contains outdated, inadequate penalties, such as a maximum fine of only Rs 50 for convicted first-time offenders (although the IPC prescribes more severe consequences). In a proposal sent to the central government regarding an amendment to the PCA Act, 1960, PETA India recommended significantly increasing penalties for cruelty to animals.
For more information, please visit PETAIndia.com or follow the group on Facebook, Instagram, or X.
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