Vijayawada Police Raid Illegal Donkey Meat Sellers, Register Three FIRs, and Book Five People

Following complaints from PETA India and Animal Rescue Organisation, Vijayawada police conducted three raids across NTR district, seizing over 30 kilograms of donkey meat. Meet Ashar of PETA India and Eswari Pasumarti and Gopal Surabathula of Animal Rescue Organisation worked with officials at NTR Police Commissionerate to ensure action was taken and first information reports (FIRs) were registered.

FIRs were registered by Krishna Lanka, Satyanarayanapuram, and Patamata police stations under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, and The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960. A total of five donkey meat sellers were booked. The seized meat was destroyed by municipal authorities after completing necessary formalities. PETA India’s previous action has resulted in 78 donkeys being rescued from the trade in Andhra Pradesh and over 1000 kilograms of meat being seized and destroyed.

In India, killing donkeys and eating their flesh violates a number of laws. Donkey slaughter violates Section 429 of the IPC, 1860, and is punishable with a jail term of up to five years, a fine, or both. Killing donkeys is also an offence under Section 11(1)(a) and (l) of the PCA Act, 1960. Consumption of donkey meat is illegal under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and slaughtering animals in public places is banned under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2001.