Muristek
Chennai, April 14
The first bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to take all measures to stop illegal trafficking of camels or slaughtering them.
"If any one indulges in such activities, the respondents (authorities concerned) shall take every step against the person and it may include even lodging of FIR for commission of the offence(s) under the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act...," the bench of Chief Justice M N Bhandari and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy said.
The court was disposing of a PIL petition from the People for Cattle in India, by its secretary G Arun Prasanna, recently.
The petition had been filed in 2015 for a direction to the authorities concerned to take effective steps to prohibit illegal transportation and slaughtering of camels in Tamil Nadu.
The bench also directed the authorities that if the Greater Corporation of Chennai could find out the persons involved in illegal trafficking and slaughtering of camels, they should take steps which may include lodging of FIR to book such individuals.
The facts on record along with the materials, showed an alarming situation that at the relevant point of time (2015 when the PIL was filed) not only illegal trafficking of camels, but also slaughtering had taken place in a brutal manner, the bench noted. It was the petitioner, who had brought the facts to the notice of the court and accordingly, notice was issued to the respondents.
According to the petitioner, the camels were brought for the purpose of slaughtering in the city and it was reported in newspapers as well. The slaughtering took place after illegal trafficking, as otherwise, Tamil Nadu was not the natural habitat of camels.
They were brought from Rajasthan or other states for the purpose of slaughtering on certain days and the slaughtering had taken place in such a brutal manner that no human being would accept the same and otherwise, it was not so permissible to torture the animal.
"The efforts of the petitioner need to be appreciated for the reason that illegal trafficking of camel is not permissible and so also the slaughtering," the judges said.
The photographs enclosed showed the manner of slaughtering, which was inhumane. The authorities had now taken care to stop illegal trafficking of camels and slaughtering.
"Thus, the prayer made by the petitioner gets satisfied, however, instead of dismissing the writ petition rendering it to be infructuous, we dispose of it with a direction to the respondents to take all the measures to stop illegal trafficking of camel or slaughtering. If anyone indulges in such activities, the respondents shall take every step against the person, and it may include even lodging of FIR for commission of the offence(s) under the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, especially in reference to Sections 3 and 5 therein," the bench said.