Bapatla Police Conducts Early Morning Raid on Illegal Donkey Meat Trade With PETA India and Local Groups
Following a complaint from PETA India, the Bapatla police – in a joint operation with PETA India and local activists from Andhra Pradesh – conducted four raids across Bapatla district, seizing over 400 kilograms of donkey meat. Gopal Surabathula of Animal Rescue Organisation, Tejovanth Anupoju of Help for Animals Society, and Vijay Kishore Palika of East Godavari SPCA were part of the raids.
Two locations in Uzilipet, one in Vetapalem, and one in the jurisdiction of 2 Town police station were raided, and donkey meat and discarded body parts, including heads, legs, and flesh attached to tails, were seized by the police. First information reports have been registered by 1 Town police station, 2 Town police station, and Vetapalem police station under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860; the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960; and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. All persons involved in the illegal trade and slaughter have been arrested.
In India, killing donkeys and eating donkey meat 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.
In a seven-year period, India’s donkey population has declined by 61%.
