Akbar-Sita Row: Tripura Govt Suspends Forest Officer Over Naming Lion Pairs

Last week, the Counsel appearing for West Bengal government told the Calcutta High Court that the lion pair named Akbar and Sita came from Tripura to Siliguri park.

Tripura’s principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife & ecotourism) Prabin Lal Agrawal was suspended on Saturday by the Tripura government (Image source: Getty)

The Tripura government suspended a forest officer for allegedly misleading it over a controversy surrounding the names of Lioness Sita and Lion Akbar that were sent to West Bengal Zoo from the state. Last week, the Counsel appearing for West Bengal government told the Calcutta High Court that the lion pair named Akbar and Sita came from Tripura to Siliguri park in West Bengal.

Tripura’s principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife & ecotourism) Prabin Lal Agrawal was suspended on Saturday by the Tripura government, the TOI reported.

On February 12, the lion pair were shifted to North Bengal Wild Animals Park in Siliguri on from Tripura’s Sepahijala zoo under an animal exchange programme along with a pair of black bucks and leopard cats. 

According to the report, Agrawal, who was the chief wildlife warden then, recorded the name of the lioness as ‘Sita’ and lion as ‘Akbar’ while sending them to Siliguri.

A writ petition was filed by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) of Bengal objecting to the names given to the lions and moved the Calcutta high court stating that it hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus.

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday passed an order to reclassify the writ petition moved by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) as a public interest litigation (PIL), and for it to be placed before the regular bench having determination over PILs. 

The court observed that the names of lioness Sita and lion Akbar did not breach the personal right of the petitioners, rather they have espoused the cause of a "greater section of people of our country" belonging to a particular religion. So, the case will be heard as a PIL and not a writ petition.

The court made several interesting observations on Thursday and said that animals should not be named after gods, goddesses, and other prominent personalities.

The state of West Bengal submitted before the court that it was the Tripura government that had named the lion Akbar and lioness Sita and they should be made answerable. The court then remarked that the West Bengal government should rename the lions and avoid all controversy.