Man arrested for drowning rat on complaint of animal rights activist

LUCKNOW: The police has filed a case against a man for drowning a rat after tying it to a brick in Uttar Pradesh’s Budaun. Vikendra Sharma, an animal rights activist had filed a complaint against the accused Manoj. The accused has been booked under section 429 (mischief by killing or maiming cattle, etc) of IPC, along with section 11 (1) (1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Although Vikendra Sharma tried to stop the incident but it ended in vain. So, he shot the video of the incident and registered a police complaint. The police at first expressed concern to charge the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act as they were doubtful that whether a rat would be considered as an animal. After the District Veterinary Officer clarified the matter, Manoj was arrested and later released on bail.

The dead rat was sent to a veterinary hospital in Buduan for a forensic exam. But after the staff there refused to conduct the examination, the rat was sent to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bareilly.